• Eager Eagle@lemmy.worldOP
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    6 months ago

    surely these are things that should be considered, but they move in relation to what? And is this surprising amount of any significance for tens or hundreds of miles of rail?

    • catloaf@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      6 months ago

      In relation to all other points of interest, which are themselves all moving.

      It’s not really relevant for rail, no, but not because of inaccuracy and drift, but because the trains are on fixed paths already. Inertial navigation and dead reckoning are accurate enough to get from station to station, and each station can have local markers, even something as simple as a reflector at the end of the platform.

      But they’re not developing it just for rail. It would be incredibly valuable for submarines and mining, for example.