Thinking about High Speed Rail in 1947

[Jcarlton]

Mecahnix illustrated in 1947:

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/grow-up-railroads/

Intersting, but there is no understanding of hunting and basic railcar physics, so most of the ideas are wrong. 

[bikkuri bahn]

Aside from the 10ft. 3 rail gauge, the other suggestions are rather orthodox- note the railcar profile is pretty much the shinkansen's from the 300 series on (low profile, with all HVAC and electricals underfloor).

[Davo Dentetsu]

Someone was staring too much at their Hornby 3-rail set, I fear. :D

[westfalen]

I'm still waiting for the personal helicopters and hover cars and vacations on mars that Popular Mechanics was telling us we'd have by the 21st century.

[cteno4]

and one of my favorites, personal jet packs, lets not forget those! 

 

there is a string of great rail articles over the years in pop mechanics and science. some great cover art over the years on train stuff. my favorite from nov 1923 is below, i have a copy of it up in the office.

 

jeff

 

[Davo Dentetsu]

I think the cool thing is it provides scope for imaginative solutions that may be more practical than the solutions presented in the magazines.  The world would look a bit more Monty Python if it didn't!