Having recorded a huge success with Tesla, Elon Musk is now turning his entrepreneurial eye on revolutionising long distance transportation.
When researching California’s new high speed rail project, and realizing that it will be the slowest, and yet most expensive, high speed rail system in the world, he decided there must be an alternative that offers faster travel for less cost....
I am not convinced this is a better idea than electro-magnetic rail. Think G-forces and maintenance costs.
This is more than Tesla, which is a great venture. I congratulate him. This is the public. A 75 year old woman would have a difficult time sustaining the G forces of the system.
And there is the issue of 'the leak' that would destroy the movement of the vehicle.
Every mode of transportation that defeats the Climate Crisis has merit. The thought of it at all is admirable. We all know we stand on the shoulders of those that have come before us, so this respects science and does not seek to disparage it or discourage young scientists to go forward with their practices.
It has merit, but, if folks are going to debate cost over advances we will never move outside the insults of the petroleum industry. We have to move to valuing ADVANCES in solving our problems including that of climate.
In the case of "Hyperloop" the idea the vehicle will travel along it's track without bumping causing wear and tear is a bit ideological. The next step is to set up a 'working table model' and use it. Make a toy train and seek to begin the physics of the entire system. Make it to scale eventually and then onto a model for use in some venue before applying it to public policy.
