Hyperloop Closer to Reality

In 2013, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors outlined a revolutionary plan for a high speed transportation system between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Known as the Hyperloop, it eliminated the typical obstacles to high speed rail (namely friction and air resistance) by incorporating “capsules” or “pods” suspended magnetically inside partially evacuated tubes.

Now that pipe dream is destined to become a reality as plans for building the first full-scale track are underway to begin next year. The five-mile circuit will be constructed in Quay Valley, a new planned development located off of Interstate-5 in central California. It’s an ideal place for the high-speed transit project since the community developer’s vision includes non-polluting options for public transportation. In return, Hyperloop won’t need to deal with right-of-way issues that have halted many high speed rail efforts in other parts of the state.

Although the five-mile track won’t be long enough to produce speeds anywhere near the theoretical limits of 800 miles per hour or more, it will be an important step in testing and refining many practical elements of the project, such as boarding procedures, pod design, and station layout. These designs represent the collaborative efforts of nearly 200 engineers and 25 UCLA graduate architecture students, many of whom provided their expertise in exchange for stock options.