Could it really be possible that a new technology might soon allow us to travel from New York to China in just 2 hours? Or from New York to LA in just 45 minutes? There is a new concept called the "Hyperloop," an idea formed by Elon Musk although its claimed in other places that this idea has been around for years. Either way, things are starting to progress for this project.
What basically happens is that these 'capsules' that hold 6-8 people are shot up to 4,000 mph in tubes that are almost air free. They would depart every 30 seconds and include emergency brake systems, steady course traveling due to magnets, and would be a much cheaper cost than taking a plane.
Hundreds of engineers - some part time, others full time and highly successful, some students from UCLA - have been working recently to put this project in motion. They are all working on the logistics of the project, and are planning on building a series of prototypes in 2015 with beliefs that the actual product will be ready and built within the decade.
I personally don't really know how I feel about this. Being shot in a tube going to speeds of 4000 mph; how does one really not feel that? How do you sit there knowing how fast you're going for anywhere from 1 minute to 2 hours? How safe could it be without collisions or other problems that may occur.
I guess these would be the same types of questions people were asking themselves when planes started to become a new regular form of transportation. If this project is done correctly, we could be looking at a pretty advanced future. This is about as close as we might come to snapping your fingers and being in a different place.
This article could relate to the debate that Professor Vinsel had against Professor Dobbins about the automation of ethics. Is our technology being taken too far? Are we so out of control that this could become unsafe? What would this 'capsule' do in an emergency situation? These are the questions we may never find a single answer to. But if this is getting less cars off the roads, and maybe some less planes in the sky, maybe things will even out a bit and there will be less accidents all around. Maybe this will be the safest form of transportation we will have, and it will be really beneficial to our world. Or, maybe it will be the worst thing that has happened and there will be billions of dollars flushed down the tubes. I guess there's only one way to find out and that is to see for ourselves when and if this project is finished!
Sources:
http://luminarydaily.com/nyc-la-45-minutes-might-soon-become-reality-thanks-hyperloop/
http://www.gizmag.com/et3-vacuum-maglev-train/21833/
This concept is mind-blowing. The thought of being shot in a capsule at those speeds is incredible. It also fits with our society's need to expedite everything we do. Unfortunately, I don't see this becoming a main source of transportation without some serious adjustments.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about our initial reaction to this compared to that of the first airplanes and that got me thinking "Maybe this is just like that revolution and we are naive." But, I found there there are other issues I found besides just the thought of being propelled at incredibly high speeds in a small pod. First, comfort. While airplanes do serve their purpose of getting passengers from Point A to Point B, there are luxuries that come along with them. Padded seats, the ability to get up mid-flight and stretch your legs, and restrooms to name a few. Except for the seats, I don't see how these amenities can be included in Hyperloop. There's simply not enough room to move around during your journey, nor can there be any sort of private plumbing system. Both of these need to be taken into consideration with any travel plans.
The second issue is luggage. Yes airplanes bring us places for various reasons, but they also bring all of our clothes and business necessities along for the ride. If Hyperloop hopes to bring people around the world, they need to allow us to bring luggage because a very small portion of trips wouldn't require a bag or two, per passenger. They could make the pods bigger but that could nearly double the size of each one and I'm not sure how that will affect the trip.
The last question I raise is the question of a smooth ride. Airplanes and cars have their natural vibrations of which we become accustomed. A few sudden bumps and shakes come, but they are bearable. In such a confined space and extreme speed, I'm not sure that a small imperfection in the tube won't cause a significant jolt for passengers that can be uncomfortable. Also noting that this trip will take place over such a large distance, it is impossible to keep the track perfectly smooth, or close enough so that the layer of air will be able to keep the pod steady. This uncomfortable, jolting ride would bring motion sickness and worry to passengers.
I think the idea of using vacuums to transport at higher speeds is a possible new way to travel, but I think there are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up if people are going to travel so fast in such a small space.