Comments on: Giant Automatic Highway Builders of the Future http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/ A history of the future that never was Fri, 17 May 2013 21:40:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: DBenson http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/#comment-224 DBenson Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:16:00 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=834#comment-224 A few years later, the British marionette series "Thunderbirds" featured just such a machine in the episode "End of the Road." While Disney and Radebaugh seemed to envision either government or big industry creating a majestic supermachine, Thunderbirds posits a slightly grungier-looking vehicle owned and operated by small-time contractors struggling to meet a deadline. No aircraft involved until the inevitable Thunderbirds rescue. A few years later, the British marionette series “Thunderbirds” featured just such a machine in the episode “End of the Road.” While Disney and Radebaugh seemed to envision either government or big industry creating a majestic supermachine, Thunderbirds posits a slightly grungier-looking vehicle owned and operated by small-time contractors struggling to meet a deadline. No aircraft involved until the inevitable Thunderbirds rescue.

]]> By: Matt Novak http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/#comment-223 Matt Novak Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:55:41 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=834#comment-223 @Bob That was awkward wording on my part. I guess I was trying to say that the futuristic animation sequences lose so much by not being seen in color. Thankfully, Disney had the foresight to still produce them in color, knowing that Color TV was just around the corner. @Bob That was awkward wording on my part. I guess I was trying to say that the futuristic animation sequences lose so much by not being seen in color. Thankfully, Disney had the foresight to still produce them in color, knowing that Color TV was just around the corner.

]]> By: Bob http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/#comment-221 Bob Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:37:09 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=834#comment-221 "Watching the episode today, it amazes me that the episode wasn’t broadcast in color until July 29, 1962." It wasn't broadcast in color until the 1962 showing because Disney wasn't broadcasting in color in '58. It's reaching back pretty far in the memory banks, but I think "The Wonderful World of Color" was the first full-time color network show. “Watching the episode today, it amazes me that the episode wasn’t broadcast in color until July 29, 1962.”

It wasn’t broadcast in color until the 1962 showing because Disney wasn’t broadcasting in color in ’58. It’s reaching back pretty far in the memory banks, but I think “The Wonderful World of Color” was the first full-time color network show.

]]> By: Leigh http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/#comment-220 Leigh Sat, 17 Dec 2011 05:48:14 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=834#comment-220 I liked the machines that used radioactive heat to bore through mountains :) I liked the machines that used radioactive heat to bore through mountains :)

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2011/12/giant-automatic-highway-builders-of-the-future/#comment-218 Paul Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:20:30 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=834#comment-218 While we don't see giant unitary automated road building machines (nor freight helicopters where ordinary dump trucks would do!), we do increasingly see road making machines that pour and smooth long stretches of concrete, or even machines that automatically align and lay bricks for urban streets. The clearing, grading, setting of alignment wires, and positioning of steel reinforcements are all done separately though. These machines are not fully automated, but getting 80% (say) of the labor savings for a fraction of the cost of full automation is not such a bad thing. As for automated cars: Google is working on it. This might be one of those things that sneaks up on us before we realize it, like video telephony via the internet and personal computers. While we don’t see giant unitary automated road building machines (nor freight helicopters where ordinary dump trucks would do!), we do increasingly see road making machines that pour and smooth long stretches of concrete, or even machines that automatically align and lay bricks for urban streets. The clearing, grading, setting of alignment wires, and positioning of steel reinforcements are all done separately though.

These machines are not fully automated, but getting 80% (say) of the labor savings for a fraction of the cost of full automation is not such a bad thing.

As for automated cars: Google is working on it. This might be one of those things that sneaks up on us before we realize it, like video telephony via the internet and personal computers.

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