Hyperloop: a hype ?

[skysurfer]

As you all might know, Elon Musk has announced he has 'verbal agreement' to build a New York-Washington DC hyperloop line, and he also wants to build (the original plan) Los Angeles - San Francisco.
It should be well more cost effective than other transport modes. However, The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/aug/04/hyperloop-planet-environment-elon-musk-sustainable-transport) has an article about it which states it is an infant technology. I think so as well.
The Thunderf00t (https://www.youtube.com/user/Thunderf00t) Youtube channel is also very (to my opinion too) sceptical.
Building a 600km long vacuum pipe of 2m diameter and shooting manned pods at 1000km/h through it requires very strict safety requirements, particularly in an earthquake location like California. A few mm offset would result in a disaster as the pods move only a few millimeters from the tube wall.

This challenge is not boring at all as the name of the Boring company says (what a strange name ??).

I only believe in it for cargo in non-seismic areas like Sydney-(Canberra)- Melbourne.

What are your opinions ?

[xelasnave]

I don't think it will get off the ground.
I recall selling a house to a chap 25 years ago and he was with a company working on the concept.
It sounded sus back then.
I don't know if one was ever built if so presumably in secret.
Alex

[LewisM]

No need - 90% of the population of Canberra are beamed up to the mothership, then onward as required at the speed of light :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Sounds all very Heinleinian to me.

[AndrewJ]

more like
90% of the population of Canberra are beamed up to the mothership,
interfered with, and then returned to parliament

Andrew

[FlashDrive]

ha ha ..!! :rofl:

[AussieTrooper]

The first vacuum driven train line was in England in the 1800s, done by Brunel. They had to shut it down because rats kept eating the seals.
Not sure I'd trust a train at 1000km/h.

[AndrewJ]

You still have the standard problems associated with conservation of energy.
You may remove wind resistance, but to maintain the vacuum isnt going to be cheap, nor is the power to accelerate then decelerate the cargo.
Interesting concept tho.

Andrew

[FlashDrive]

Yeah...but what a rush .... :rundog::rundog::rundog:

:D

[skysurfer]

That mini state on the north of Borneo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunei) wasn't even independant in the 1800s.
But it is true that such a system existed in London for a short time.
So Elon Musk is 200 years behind.

[sharkbite]

I believe the reference is to Isombard Brunel....all round visionary and overachiever.
Among other things he oversaw the building of the biggest passenger liner of the time.