By Thessabel Chang, Y12
What is the Hyperloop Train?
Virgin Hyperloop is an American company established on June 1st 2014 who are the first to commercialize the Hyperloop, high-speed technology which is a variant of the vacuum train.
Sunday November 8th marked a crucial moment in history as the Virgin Hyperloop transported passengers for the first time! What’s interesting and unique about this is that its high-speed pod system allows for the pods to float. It has reached speeds of 107mph, travelling 500m in just 15 seconds. The finalized pod should be able to seat up to 28 passengers.
How does it work?
You might be wondering, how does a floating pod in a nearly airless tube function? It uses an autonomous system with magnetic levitation to lift the pod, a vacuum propelling it through the tube. The tube therefore has to be kept at a constant low pressure, requiring extensive infrastructure. Due to its ultra-low aerodynamic drag, the pod can reach speeds faster than airlines and travel for longer distances.
A trip between New York and Washington in the final version of the hyperloop pod as planned would last just 30 minutes — twice as fast as a commercial jet flight and four times faster than a high-speed train, according to Reuters.
Inside the tube:
If you ever get the chance to take a ride inside the tube, it will be equipped with seat belts, leather seats, and even small windows. The first passengers, Josh Giegal (Virgin Hyperloop’s Chief Technology Officer and co-founder) along with Sara Luchian (Head of Passenger Experience) had some comments after the ride.
Giegal said the journey “felt not that much different than accelerating in a sports car,” whilst Luchian described it as “much smoother than I expected,” per the New York Times.
Excitingly, the company hopes to finalize and commercialize Hyperloop travel by 2030!
