Update: CSX train derailment

Sat Jul 21 22:19:00 UTC 2001

One of the things that may change over time is that some of
the new drilling technologies being used in oil drilling,
drilling with turns, angles, and horizontal drilling,
may become viable for many telecom conduit builds.
You can do about 5 horizontal miles today, and that
would get you around or under nearly all obstacles
such as rivers, and would in fact be enough to run
deep *under* metro centers when you're trying to go
through rather than into the builtup area.

Those are more expensive to do than traditional trenching
or hanging in existing rail tunnels or off bridges though, 
so it may not be cost effective except in limited areas.

-george william herbert
gherbert at retro.com