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A comment on Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panama Canal. Parent comment

Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by dessimus on Sunday January 14, 2024 @04:27PM (#38994591)
I'm no engineer, but I would not imagine that the Panamax ships are built to handle that kinda of stress while still loaded with cargo. The ships are designed to have the weight of itself and its cargo spread out pushing out against the displaced water pushing back on the hull rather evenly and not a handful of highly concentrated points.
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by CapitalistCartr on Sunday January 14, 2024 @06:10PM (#38995422)
Ships are made to be drydocked. They get supported on a LOT of blocking. Train cars could copy that. It's otherwise not practical, though.
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by mkl on Sunday January 14, 2024 @06:24PM (#38995513)
> Ships are made to be drydocked.

Not while fully loaded with thousands of containers.

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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by themaninthedark on Sunday January 14, 2024 @06:20PM (#38995480)
Ships in drydock are not full of goods.
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by bdcravens on Sunday January 14, 2024 @04:34PM (#38994647)
Just build a giant bathtub and tow that /s
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by adrianmonk on Sunday January 14, 2024 @07:01PM (#38995781)
Imagine the hilarity if the giant bathtub train car derails and tips over. Has there ever been a train wreck that caused a flood? If not, there's a first time for everything.

There's also the possibility that you get 100 km inland and then the bathtub springs a leak. Not a good situation if the ship's structural integrity depends on the water in the tub.

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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by poulsbohemian on Sunday January 14, 2024 @05:59PM (#38995320)
Or - hear me out here - we build a giant man made ditch. Maybe we call it something clever, like a canal?
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by fotta on Sunday January 14, 2024 @05:07PM (#38994915)
Reminds me of the Falkirk Wheel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkirk_Wheel
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by elric on Sunday January 14, 2024 @05:22PM (#38995021)
Or the huge boat lift of Strépy-Thieu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Str%C3%A9py-Thieu_boat_lift
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Re:Mexico building rail rival as water shortages drain Panam... by lokjhfvvv on Sunday January 14, 2024 @04:49PM (#38994761)
If it’s stupid and it works… !
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