HyperLoop (was It's a series of TUBES!)

[GregH]

Or not.

http://mashable.com/2013/07/15/elon-musk-hyperloop-design/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok, I guess we don't know what it is.. but considering the transport-geek factor here I'm surprised there isn't already a thread here with wild speculation. Hmm.. A two meter "pod" that can travel from California to the East coast in an hour? but no vacuum tubes. A cross between the Concorde, a railgun, and a air hockey table?!?! I guess we'll find out in the next few weeks, but that shouldn't stop the speculation.

 

[GRA]

Or not.

http://mashable.com/2013/07/15/elon-musk-hyperloop-design/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok, I guess we don't know what it is.. but considering the transport-geek factor here I'm surprised there isn't already a thread here with wild speculation. Hmm.. A two meter "pod" that can travel from California to the East coast in an hour? but no vacuum tubes. A cross between the Concorde, a railgun, and a air hockey table?!?! I guess we'll find out in the next few weeks, but that shouldn't stop the speculation.

Not exactly a new idea, just adding mag-lev to an old one to speed things up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[GeekEV]

There's plenty of speculation about it on the Tesla Forums about it.

http://www.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/elon-musks-hyperloop-it-can-never-crash-it-immune-weather-fast-about-1200-kmhr-solar-en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.teslamotors.com/forum/forums/info-elonss-hyperloop" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[GregH]

Yeah and more news speculation...
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Musk-Revs-Up-for-Super-Fast-Hyperloop-Transport-Reveal-78487.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't see how a sealed tube could cost less per mile than rail..

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Ambitious infrastructure project considering there's like what, five supercharging stations?

 

[dhanson865]

Ambitious infrastructure project considering there's like what, five supercharging stations?

13 open now, 15 more this summer, more than I care to count by fall (though it'll be 2015 before there is one in my state according to current projections).

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[GRA]

Ambitious infrastructure project considering there's like what, five supercharging stations?

13 open now, 15 more this summer, more than I care to count by fall (though it'll be 2015 before there is one in my state according to current projections).

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

12 really, as the two Milford 'locations' are just on opposite sides of the freeway as part of the same complex. The biggest advantage is that there are multiple chargers at each site, something that Blink, Nissan et al have yet to do despite repeated requests. I count sixty-one 'charging stalls' at the twelve locations, so assuming each stall is equipped with a charger, they've installed more QCs than Nissan, albeit in fewer but better locations, and all accessible 24/7.

 

[palmermd]

Pulled all nighter working on Hyperloop (as did others). Hopefully not too many mistakes. Will publish link at 1:30 PDT.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[GregH]

Ok it's 1:30.. not that I'm impatient or anything..

 

[TomT]

Here you go: http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/hyperloop" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok it's 1:30.. not that I'm impatient or anything..

 

[GeekEV]

I haven't read the whole thing yet, not that I'd understand it all anyway, but it strikes me as an incredibly well thought out concept.

 

[Nubo]

I like it because the physics require it to be basically a straight nonstop between SF and LA. Not really amenable to politicians steering it hither and yon across the map for pork points and interminable stops on what's supposed to be a HIGH SPEED LINK.

This mess, and of course they haven't finished mucking with it:

 

[palmermd]

Just finished reading it and I really hope somebody who can run with this decides to do so. It is an idea who's time has come.

 

[GregH]

I do like the idea that on the most part the tube itself is not powered. Having a small diameter metal tube suspended over freeways seems like it might work (and create much less interference).

 

[GRA]

35 minute run and no bathrooms? Uh-uh. All it takes is one person with an upset stomach or a bladder problem and that capsule will be out of service while its cleaned, and the pax will probably be so embarrassed that they'll never use it again. Either that, or everyone is issued with an adult diaper before boarding, and, as the Fidel-clone character overcome by megalomania ordered in 'Bananas', "Underwear will be worn on the outside, so we can check".

10 minutes between stops is about all you can allow, assuming you couldn't move around during the trip (0.5g accels would make that a non-starter). Tickets will require through booking with free exit and re-boarding at intermediate stations (to avoid holding the capsules up), and toilets on the platforms, so people could get off one train to use them and back on a later one. The exited pax would then rejoin the boarding line when ready, and catch the next available capsule. This will make separate baggage compartments a problem, and/or require baggage storage at the destination terminal so that the pax can catch up.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

I haven't read the whole thing yet, not that I'd understand it all anyway, but it strikes me as an incredibly well thought out concept.

It's more of a Shelbyville idea.

 

[evnow]

Moving to "environment" forum and renaming.

 

[GRA]

They were talking about it at the end of NBR today.

 

[mitch672]

35 minute run and no bathrooms? Uh-uh. All it takes is one person with an upset stomach or a bladder problem and that capsule will be out of service while its cleaned, and the pax will probably be so embarrassed that they'll never use it again. Either that, or everyone is issued with an adult diaper before boarding, and, as the Fidel-clone character overcome by megalomania ordered in 'Bananas', "Underwear will be worn on the outside, so we can check".

10 minutes between stops is about all you can allow, assuming you couldn't move around during the trip (0.5g accels would make that a non-starter). Tickets will require through booking with free exit and re-boarding at intermediate stations (to avoid holding the capsules up), and toilets on the platforms, so people could get off one train to use them and back on a later one. The exited pax would then rejoin the boarding line when ready, and catch the next available capsule. This will make separate baggage compartments a problem, and/or require baggage storage at the destination terminal so that the pax can catch up.

Could be if you can't hold your pee for the duration of the trip, perhaps Hyperloop isn't for you.
It's also going to be confining and have some quick accelerations as it passes by the rail gun accelerators every 70 miles. This is a system for younger, healthy people. The elderly, sickly and emotionally unstable can continue taking buses (they are planes these days). Your going to be strapped in with a seatbelt, and there's no "getting up", your more of a passenger on a spacecraft than on a train or plane.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Why is it that building a tube from LA to San Francisco is some fanciful unattainable feat of engineering, but people are climbing over one another to build a tube from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico?