You think like an engineer, large bank tubes, easily inspected and sealed no tampering due to the vaccum but once again for what.....I'd rather see an oil pipeline or ten from Baku to the West. Crap.....launch those two CAP F-18s there's some Bears on my screen.
The original sales pitch was for cargo/fuel, correct? Where did the people come from & why are they needed? All the extras (I call it "Choch") required for people would make it impossible & impossibly expensive. Lets name but a few.... Heat.....causing condensation, freezing, expansion/contraction, not to mention the equipment (amount-locations-power)....Nuts Light.....electrical (same as above with shorting problems)....Nuts Communication.....un-needed for containers....Nuts Fresh air in, Vehicle exhaust out.....same as above (why?)....Nuts Food, Water, Rest Rooms, Emergency pull-over areas, Escape/Rescue/Repair---YIKES---Nuts Then there's the "Super Choch" (PC).....M/F bathrooms, Children Play Areas, Baby Changing Stations, Multi-lingual Instructions, Handicapped Accessible, Elderly (all) Medical Care.....Nuts Keep people out of it (if you're going to do it), or it will NEVER have a reachable Budget/Time Frame. The first Love of taxing (pun intended) Democrats.... something they can tax for, _iss the budget away on studies (swimming pools, new cars, golf junkets to Japan, meetings on the French Rivera), be out of office and retired on a FAT pension w/full benefits, (before a 2x4 is cut), and still have that "feel-good" aura about what they did for the people & the country.... "Aint I great....where ya gonna build my Library?" Oh ya, I remember now, we gotta build a couple a roads too. Shouldn't take too long, let's launch another feasibility study.....my brother's company needs work, sorry populace....closed bid ! You're turning a Dumb-Waiter into the "Love-Boat" if you do.