An Idiot's Guide to the Hyperloop: Everything You Need To Know
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Cheap, high speed ground transportation can have some incredible effects and completely change the entire game of transportation. Elon Musk plans on charging $20 for a trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco, which is quite a bit cheaper than about any other option of taking the trip. It sure as hell saves you enough time to make it worth the premium price compared to a bus ticket. Musk also hopes to completely cover operating costs by powering it entirely through solar panels.
The route from Los Angeles to San Francisco is basically going to be the test subject to see if it is worth it. There is currently a high-speed train system in development for the Los Angeles-San Francisco journey, but Musk’s is quite a bit more ambitious in terms of speed and scope. The concept and design was made public in summer 2013, and although we are still several years away from a finished product, there is some serious potential in the Hyperloop system. It will be very expensive, and turning a literal pipe dream into revenue will be difficult at first, given the estimated up to $100 billion cost of the project (although Musk claims it will only cost $6 billion). However, $100 billion in the hands of the right person will be extremely revolutionary. Who are we to underestimate the guy who created Tesla and SpaceX and practically changes the world as a casual hobby? 
If the Hyperloop were to end up being effective and profitable, it could practically make the United States one big neighborhood. Living in Denver and just don’t get a chance to visit your parents down in Dallas anymore? Take a day trip with the Hyper Loop. Have you always dreamed of seeing the Grand Canyon but just can’t make the trip down from Boston? All of a sudden, a weekend in Arizona does not seem so out of the way or inconvenient. How about a weekend in an entirely different continent? Different countries are already planning and conceptualizing ideas for their own Hyperloop, including France, Netherlands, and Poland. Like seriously, this Hyperloop thing could be huge. Elon Musk is already revolutionizing space travel, electric cars, and with the Hyperloop, he has the opportunity to change the way trains work. However, ask Elon Musk and he will shoo away any credit given to him for the progress made on the Hyperloop.
It has truly been a public project, with hundreds of contributors throwing anything from funding, to labor, to their brains onto the project. It is an open-source project, and several companies have actually formed specifically to advance progress and make the Hyperloop a reality. From students to experienced scientists to those who are just along for the ride, the Hyperloop has captivated the attention and intrigue of millions across the world. The collaboration of great minds is extremely exciting to see, and the Hyperloop is an endeavor that we should all be following to the bitter or the glorious end. |
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