H-1 update 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Virgin Hyperloop One (H-1) uses magnetic levitation. One set of magnets lifts the passenger pod off its track, while the other set propels the pod forward. The low pressure vacuum-sealed environment within the tube provides very little resistance, enabling the pod's high velocity.

DP World, which operates in forty countries, is Virgin Hyperloop One's largest investor. Its CEO, Mr. Bin Sulayem, is H-1's Chairman of the Board.

Government permits and regulations will be a hurdle to overcome in every locality that sponsors this innovative new transport system. Getting governments to participate with and support making hyperloop a reality will be essential.

An important step toward that goal has been reached in the U.S. by Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation. Just this month she announced the "Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council" to propel the process forward on the national level.

"Hyperloop is a new mode of transportation that is built for the 21st century,” said Jay Walder, CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One. “We want to be the company that spearheads the next giant leap forward in transportation here in the United States but we know we can’t do it alone. We applaud the DOT for their support of this technology.”

(cont'd tomorrow)

Still a thing

 Hyperloop transportation was proposed by Elon Musk as a new form of transportation in 2012. He didn't want to do it himself (create a company to make it a reality) but others did take the idea and started creating it "from the ground up." Progress is slow, but hyperloop is still a thing.

Multiple layers of government have to be onboard to make this new concept happen. They want assurance of safety, economic viability, cooperation from their voter bases, etc. 

It's so appealing: to move passengers or cargo between big cities safely at near-air-speed, with no carbon emissions or exhaust, nearly noise-free, and at affordable cost. (Go to label "Hyperloop" for background.) Pods move through near-vacuum tubes using magnetic levitation.

A new study in the U.S. evaluates the feasibility of building a hyperloop to link Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh. 

(cont'd tomorrow)

More speed 1

Hyperloop - fast and autonomous - isn't being developed in the U.S., but faster and/or autonomous transportation appeals to just about everybody. Variations are already used in multiple locations all over the world.

Dubai (UAE) on the Arabian Peninsula has an eye-catching system. Autonomous cars move people along a monorail system between major landmarks like Palm Jumeirah.  Here are 44 other monorail locations.

photo

China had no high-speed rail at the turn of the century, but now has 45,000 network miles, the world's longest HSR. The fastest commercial train in the world runs between Shanghai and its international airport. With peak speed of 268 mph, it makes the 19-mile trip in a little over 7 minutes. It uses "maglev" technology, the magnetic levitation idea connected with the hyperloop concept.

Japan's bullet train was the world's first HSR to operate way back in 1964.