The Crazy Idea of a New York-London Tunnel
Madness in the Deep – New York-London Tunnel
This New York-London Tunnel article was previously written for architechnexus.com, Published by Mattias Eriksson on 14 December, 2024(revised version)
Every so often, an idea comes along that’s so wild, so utterly deranged, it demands attention. Enter: the plan to build a New York-London Tunnel, a 5,500-kilometer tube under the Atlantic Ocean. Yes, you heard that right. A tunnel. Under the Atlantic. Because why not?
This isn’t just another engineering project. It’s a bold leap of ambition, conjured by minds so brilliant they’ve seemingly lost touch with reality. Fifty-four minutes from London to New York—at speeds nearing 6,000 km/h. It’s faster than most people’s morning commute, pitched with a confidence that defies the chaos of the Atlantic Ocean and the tectonic turmoil beneath it.
Interestingly, similar tunnel ideas aren’t entirely new. Over 200 years ago, French engineer Albert Mathieu-Favier proposed a tunnel between France and England, a concept documented in historical accounts of early sub-sea engineering ambitions—the ‘Chunnel’—as early as 1802. His vision included oil lamps for lighting and horse-drawn carriages traveling underground. While rudimentary by today’s standards, it was revolutionary at the time, showcasing the boldness of human imagination and the seeds of engineering innovation that would one day make projects like the Channel Tunnel a reality.
The Vision: Beautiful or Batshit?
Picture this: a Hyperloop train rocketing through a vacuum-sealed tube at 6,000 km/h. The train levitates. The tube withstands crushing ocean pressures. And somehow, it all works flawlessly. Sounds great, right? Except the Atlantic Ocean is no passive bystander. It’s a churning cauldron of chaos, with tectonic plates shifting like drunks on a sinking boat and storms ready to chew up anything that dares enter its domain.
But ambition doesn’t stop with an idea—it dives headfirst into technology, and that’s where the real mirage begins. The visionaries press on, undeterred. They promise an engineering marvel—part Jules Verne, part Elon Musk fever dream. And we, the gullible masses, nod along because, damn it, we love a good spectacle.
Tech Wonders: The Mirage of Perfection
It’s hard not to get mesmerized by the New York-London Tunnel—levitating trains, near supersonic speeds, and a vacuum-sealed pod slicing through the ocean depths. What could possibly go wrong? Well, there’s the small matter of maintaining all of this under the unforgiving Atlantic. Renewable energy proponents pitch visions of solar panels powering this massive project. It sounds poetic—until the Atlantic throws a tantrum. Spoiler alert: solar panels don’t float.
Then there’s the vacuum-sealed pod—a brilliant concept that hinges on maintaining absolute pressure balance inside a tube running under unimaginable ocean depths. A single leak, and the vacuum collapses, turning the train into a catastrophic and costly disaster. Engineers, meanwhile, propose anchoring the tunnel to the seabed as a sturdier solution. A solid idea… on paper. But the seabed isn’t exactly a stable foundation. It’s a geological wildcard, prone to shifting, cracking, and occasionally erupting—a nightmare for even the most advanced anchoring systems.
The Price Tag: Laugh or Cry?
Now, let’s talk numbers, and hold onto your wallets: above $15 trillion. That’s trillion with a capital “T.” This isn’t a pie-in-the-sky estimate either. We’re talking advanced materials that can withstand pressures so immense they’d turn lesser substances to powder, vacuum technology that keeps friction at bay, and decades’ worth of global labor. Factor in the cost of international cooperation—a feat that makes the UN look harmonious—and the environmental safeguards required to keep regulators and activists at bay, and this project starts to look comically expensive. For context, $15 trillion could bankroll the GDPs of multiple countries, construct 10,000 Burj Khalifas scraping the sky, or buy every person on Earth enough coffee to stay caffeinated for the rest of their lives. And if you start saving $1 million a day, you’d still need 55,000 years to cover the bill. Better start saving now, because audacious dreams like this one never come cheap.
Challenges: The Doom Checklist
The engineering hurdles alone would make lesser minds weep. Building a tunnel that can endure crushing oceanic pressures, resist earthquakes, and stave off corrosion? That’s going to take materials we haven’t even perfected yet. Scientists will have to test the limits of physics and materials science to bring this vision to life. Composite alloys and maglev technology could, theoretically, tackle these obstacles, but the solutions remain largely untested and dizzyingly complex.
Meanwhile, marine biologists are likely already preparing their protest signs. A tunnel of this magnitude would wreak havoc on ecosystems, displacing creatures from the tiniest krill to the grandest whales. Environmentalists would riot, and the disruption to marine ecosystems—from krill to whales—would become a global flashpoint.
And, of course, there’s the political circus. Twelve countries, dozens of stakeholders, and countless agendas—all wrangling for control of what would become the world’s most expensive geopolitical game piece. Compared to this, even the rowdiest boardroom would look like a calm negotiation.
What If It Works?
But what if—just for a moment—we allow ourselves to dream? What if the tunnel is built, and it works—a breathtaking 54-minute journey that defies reason? Trade and tourism would surge, reshaping economies on both sides of the Atlantic, while airlines would be forced to adapt and reinvent themselves in a world where 54-minute crossings rewrite the rules of travel. Freight would shift, sure, with container shipping industries potentially upended as goods could cross the Atlantic faster than ever before. Supply chains might see unprecedented efficiency, shrinking lead times for everything from electronics to fresh produce. But convenience—and infrastructure—would keep air travel stubbornly relevant. Passenger airlines offer flexibility and established networks that no tunnel, however fast, could easily replace. The sky, for now, would still have the edge. It would be a marvel of human ingenuity, even if the billions required to keep it alive would ensure its place as the most ambitious maintenance nightmare in history.
The Final Word: A Beautiful Disaster
The London-New York tunnel is an idea so outrageous, so utterly absurd, that it deserves a standing ovation. Not because it’ll happen—it won’t—but because it reminds us what we’re capable of dreaming. Humanity’s strength isn’t practicality; it’s the audacity to stare down the impossible and say, ‘Let’s try anyway.
Here’s to the lunatics, the schemers, and the dreamers who refuse to let practicality stand in the way of audacity—because the next impossible idea might just need someone like you to make it happen. Visionary? Bonkers? Dive in, share your thoughts, and let’s see where the madness takes us—the next big idea might just be waiting in the depths.
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