Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
1
Introduction
In light of the plans for the high-speed rail train from Los Angeles to San
Francisco, entrepreneurs and designers like Elon Musk and Daryl Oster have proposed
alternative designs for a supersonic train that travels through vacuum-sealed tubes. They
claim their designs will bridge the gaps between distant cities and nations by providing
affordable, energy efficient, and extremely fast transportation. Several industries are
already developing new technologies to create faster forms of ground transportation such
as the Maglev and Aero Train. If supersonic trains become a new, feasible form of
transportation, they could revolutionize human existence on a global scale by allowing
for clean high-speed travel across the world.
Overview
Since the late 19th century, train speeds have gradually increased from a
maximum speed of 112 miles per hour in 1893 to a maximum speed of about 350 miles
per hour today with
conventional high-speed
rails running around 180
miles per hour [10]. Table 1
shows the steady
progression of train speeds
since the early 19th century
to today. These train speeds
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
2
increased as the power systems and train technology has progressed from steam power to
electric power to magnetic propulsion and onward.
With increasing global fossil fuel reliance and a desire to lower travel times,
engineers are searching for a faster, cleaner, and more energy efficient form of
transportation to travel both in country and around the world. Elon Musk, of SpaceX and
Tesla Motors, and entrepreneur Daryl Oster have proposed designs for new forms of
transportation known as the Hyperloop and Evacuated Tube Transport respectively.
Hyperloop and Evacuated Tube Transport, or ETT, are proposed designs for supersonic
frictionless travel through a system of pipelines. Capsules travel through little to no
atmosphere in tunnels using air cushioning and magnetic suspension to levitate and
propel forward.
Musk and Oster boast that their systems would be faster, cleaner, and more
sustainable than any current form of transportation. Oster claims that ETT will be able to
make a trip from New York to Beijing in only two hours [3]. Musk states that the
Hyperloop would be able to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just a half an
hour. He also says that due to low operation costs the Hyperloop will be as cheap as
twenty dollars current value for a passenger to ride [1]. These proposed designs for
future high-speed transportations vary slightly in design, but both have the same
fundamental function. For the purpose of this paper I will refer primarily to the overall
technological design and development of supersonic vacuum trains through the context of
Musk’s Hyperloop and Oster’s ETT.
Italicized words within the text are defined in the glossary in the appendix.
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
3
How It Works
While Musk proposes some new innovations to make Hyperloop possible, much
of the ingenuity stems from implementing technologies that are already in use [1]. He
provides a concise description of the functionality of Hyperloop in his recent proposal:
Hyperloop consists of a low-pressure tube with capsules that are transported at
both low and high speeds throughout the length of the tube. The capsules are
supported on a cushion of air, featuring pressurized air and aerodynamic lift. The
capsules are accelerated via a magnetic linear accelerator affixed at various
stations on the low-pressure tube with rotors contained in each capsule. [4]
Rolling friction from wheels limits railway trains from reaching faster speeds, and the
faster a railway train goes the more the track and wheels deteriorate. Engineers can
overcome this limitation by scrapping wheels altogether and using either ground-effect or
magnetic levitation [10]. Both conventions are already in use. Maglev trains use
superconductors and magnets to keep the train levitating above the track but also firmly
braced by a magnetic field. Maglev trains even use magnetic attraction to pull the train
forward and create an electric and efficient form of acceleration [5].
However, maglev trains still have the issue of fluid friction caused by the
surrounding air. Ground-effect trains embrace this air drag and use it as a form of
propulsion and levitation. The Aero Train in Japan hovers across its track redirecting
airflow under the vehicle to create an air cushion similar to the function of an air hockey
table [6]. Hyperloop and Evacuated Tube Transports adopt these concepts to achieve
frictionless supersonic travel.
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
The ETT travels in a vacuum-sealed tube with no air friction and uses magnetic
levitation to suspend within the tube. Figure 1 illustrates some of the main components
for pushing the capsule
through the pipeline. The
system uses linear motors
along the tubes to initially
accelerate the train much like
a Maglev train, and the absence of air and friction allows for the capsule to coast along
for most of the journey while using minimal additional energy. Magnetic generators at
the end of the line slow down the capsules and even capture reusable energy by
converting the pods’ kinetic energy into electricity [3].
Due to the difficulty of creating a perfect vacuum in a vast tunnel network, Musk
proposes dropping the internal air level instead to only one-sixth of normal atmospheric
pressure. Fluid friction is still
reduced considerably, but Musk uses
the remaining atmosphere to help
propel and suspend the capsule in the
tunnel. Figure 2 presents the main
components of the Hyperloop system
and how they differ from ETT. The primary difference is the presence of air and using
that air to assist with propulsion. An air condenser proposed by Musk at the front of the
vehicle directs airflow through the capsule and pushes it out the back and below. This
4
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
5
system overcomes the air choke limit caused by the remaining atmosphere, and the
capsule is able to levitate in the tunnel similar to the Aero Train [4].
Both Oster and Musk believe that the capsules could achieve up to Mach 1 and
beyond from the magnetic propulsion and lack of friction. Because the capsules would
travel so fast, the pipeline would have to remain relatively straight for most of the journey
[3]. Musk and Oster’s proposals require very precise design and advance technology in
order to successfully operate. Due to lack of the advanced technology and actual
simulation of these designs, engineers have many limitations they must overcome in
design and development before people can begin to ride across the country at the speed of
sound.
Limitations and Criticism
Many scholars and critics argue that proposals like Hyperloop and ETT are
unrealistic or even impossible to create with our current level of technology or
economical and
political environment.
While Elon Musk
provides a thorough
proposal for Hyperloop
both technologically
and economically,
skeptics claim that he
has overlooked important monetary factors to consider and has underestimated the total
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
6
cost of construction and maintenance. Musk proposes that the Hyperloop would cost
fewer than 6 billion dollars to construct compared to the California High Speed Rail that
has a budget of 68 billion dollars [4]. Table 2 on the previous page shows Musk’s
breakdown of the expenses for constructing the Hyperloop from Los Angeles to San
Francisco. Economists say that Musk has not fully considered the price to purchase the
land for constructing the Hyperloop. In Table 2, Musk only allots 1 billion dollars for the
cost of land. The economists speculate that the high-speed rail cost from Fresno to
Bakersfield alone would cost 7 billion, and they propose that 100 billion dollars is a more
a realistic figure for the Hyperloop [7]. The price rises even further with an international
vacuum train. For travelling across oceans such as from New York to London,
researchers predict that an underwater tunnel for a vacuum train would cost from 25 to 50
million dollars per mile to construct [2].
Musk states in his document outlining Hyperloop that constructors can avoid land
costs by building along the fairly straight and already state owned 1-5 freeway [4].
However, the CHSR legislation has had to tackle many legal barriers that gradually
increased the cost such as appealing to demands to build stations and track extensions at
cities between Los Angeles and San Francisco [7]. This presents an additional limitation.
Current high-speed rails are able to reach around 350 miles per hour. However, if there
are several intermediate stops that the trains must make in cities along the way, the train
will hardly ever reach its top speed. Creating a straight shot from Los Angeles to San
Francisco to reach the full 700 miles per hour potential would be impossible if
intermediate cities demand to have their own stations [9].
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
7
Along with the economic and political limitations, there are also several design
issues to consider. Travelling at extremely high speeds requires precise design and allows
very little room for error. A very fast train line must avoid even the slightest curves in the
track or pipeline or the passenger will undergo intense G-forces [1]. The layout of the
pipeline must remain straight while overcoming terrain obstacles like mountains and
bodies of water. The Hyperloop would follow a relatively straight path up the I-5
freeway. However, following a straight line becomes more problematic on an
international scale. To cross from one continent to the next, designers must develop a
stable underwater tunneling system described earlier to travel across oceans. They must
also account for varying and rugged terrain and environments that might not permit the
particular conditions needed. For example, creating a straight path through a mountain
range like the Rocky Mountains would require expensive manipulation of the landscape
such as carving through the rock of the mountains [3].
While Musk takes precautions against earthquakes in his design, California is
situated on a major fault line, and in the event of a disaster, the tube track could breach
ruining the vacuum-sealed environment. A capsule travelling at 700 miles per hour
toward a damaged tube segment would be catastrophic. A rupture in the pipeline would
allow air to leak into the tube creating a denser atmosphere. For a capsule travelling near
the speed of sound in a vacuum, suddenly entering regular atmosphere would be similar
to hitting a brick wall [10]. Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of plans like Hyperloop and
ETT is the lack of actual simulation of these concepts. The feasibility of a supersonic
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
8
capsule transport will remain uncertain until more tangible developments and testing of
these ideas progress.
Impact
Creating a new standard of transportation with high-speed magnetic and vacuum
transits both nationally and internationally would have many social, economical, and
global repercussions. Many scholars and speculators predict both the positive and
negative implications that technologies like the Hyperloop could have on our every day
life. One of the main purposes of the Hyperloop is to connect two large metropolitan
areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco together by an affordable and quick form of
travel. The MIT civil engineering department researches the effects of current high-speed
rail systems in countries like Japan and Germany, and they discovered that this
connection creates a megaregion from two metropolitan areas. The two cities can link
their labor force
and consumer
markets together
to stimulate
economic and
industrial
growth. The cities would have access to a more diverse labor market, and citizens would
in turn have access to more specialized occupations. This makes job matching more
efficient and increases productivity for industries and companies. Figure 3 displays three
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
9
different megaregion areas created by high-speed rail routes including Musk’s proposed
route for Hyperloop.
The rapid transit between Osaka and Tokyo has benefited employment and
productivity particularly in the information exchange and tourism industries. Cities with
similar concentration of business could also potentially benefit from a high-speed
transportation system like the Hyperloop. However, these researchers also speculate that
creating a megaregion from two cities could have a negative impact on the smaller
communities in between and surrounding the main metropolitan areas. Economic growth
and stimulation could possibly only come to the areas with access to the transit stations
while areas separated still by long travel times could suffer from industry neglect [8].
Oster has a more optimistic prediction for the development and implementation of
ETT. He speculates that ETT will eliminate oil reliance, enhance global security, reduce
pollution, stimulate stagnant industries, and increase the global standard of living. Like
Musk, Oster projects that the cost of an Evacuated Tube Transport would be just a fourth
of the cost to construct a four-lane freeway, and the long-term benefits of building ETT
would enormously outweigh the cost of construction and maintenance. He says the
significant return of investment for constructing an ETT system would create millions of
jobs and stimulate global and national economy by increasing market accessibility and
the distribution of commodities and natural resources [3].
While high-speed train systems show potential economic repercussions, arguably
the most significant impact of a new rapid and cost effective form of transportation like
Hyperloop or ETT would be creating a broader global perspective for human existence
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
10
and interaction. Recent technologies like the Internet and air travel have already begun
closing the gaps on global separation among nations. Increasing global communication
and human interaction among many cultures helps create a stronger human identity
worldwide. People have the ability to share ideas and cultural perspective with other
people more frequently as the Internet becomes more accessible and travelling abroad
becomes more feasible. If these supersonic trains are possible, then travelling crosscountry and around the world will become more feasible than ever. If the Hyperloop,
ETT, and other new high-speed trains were as cost effective and affordable as they
predict, then many people who could not afford the chance to travel internationally would
now be able to travel around the world in a few hours. Having the ability to travel across
the globe quickly and cheaply would allow people from many walks of life to meet and
connect promoting global relations and understanding.
Conclusion
Our history in railroad transportation shows that we are continually finding new
and faster ways to travel. Elon Musk and Daryl Oster present optimistic designs for a new
form of transportation that could revolutionize how we live our lives and interact with the
rest of the world. It is clear that these designs face many technological, economical, and
political limitations that prohibit their creation presently. However, the need for a faster,
cleaner, and more efficient form of transportation propels theses developments further,
and the potential impact shown above for creating these supersonic trains dictates that
these new designs and technology are worth pursuing and researching.
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
Appendix
About the Author
Jeffrey Eric Orr
Address: 1207 W 29th St, Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (714) 457-4379
Email: jericorr@gmail.com
School Email: jeffreeo@usc.edu
Jeffrey is a junior at USC studying Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in power
systems and minoring in Music Recording. His interests include music production and
discovering new emerging technologies.
Related Links
Brian Dodson, “Beyond the hype of Hyperloop: An analysis of Elon Musk’s proposed
transit system”, http://www.gizmag.com/hyperloop-musk-analysis/28672/
Daryl Oster, Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies, www.et3.com
ET3 Overview Video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92dK_yxaKvk
Elon Musk, “Hyperloop Alpha”,
http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/hyperloop_alpha20130812.pdf
Suggested Multimedia Applications
Create a video outlining the effects of a megaregion phenomenon using examples like
Osaka and Tokyo.
11
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
12
Glossary
Aerodynamic: having shape that reduces drag from travelling through air.
Air choke limit: when an object travels through a tube, the air within the tube must
travel around the object. This can cause clogs or choking in the tube when the air cannot
properly pass through.
Air cushioning: using a pocket of air to hover slightly above the ground like a puck on
an air hockey table.
G-Force: weight felt while undergoing acceleration. A person could die if he or she is
exposed to intense g-forces.
Ground Effect: using lift caused by air passing over aerodynamic vehicle to hover over
the ground and reduce friction.
Kinetic energy: energy found in an objects movement that can be converted into other
forms of energy like electricity.
Linear Motors: motors that are positioned on the track and not on the vehicle.
Mach 1: unit of speed relative to the speed of sound, approximately 760.5 mph.
Magnetic suspension: levitation caused by magnetic fields.
Rolling friction: friction caused by wheels or a rotating object moving over another
surface that creates an opposing force and limits how fast the object can go.
Superconductors: material that allows flow of electrical current with very little
resistance at either very high or low temperatures.
Supersonic: faster than the speed of sound.
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
13
Bibliography
[1] Brian Dodson, “Beyond the hype of the Hyperloop: An analysis of Elon Musk’s
proposed transit system,” Gizmag, [online] August 12, 2013.
http://www.gizmag.com/hyperloop-musk-analysis/28672/
[2] Carl Hoffman, “Trans-Atlantic Maglev,” Popular Science [online] April 4, 2004.
http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-04/trans-atlantic-maglev
[3] Daryl Oster, “Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies,” (ET3 Global Alliance, Inc.),
[online] 2010-2013, www.et3.com.
[4] Elon Musk, “Hyperloop Alpha,” SpaceX, August 12, 2013.
[5] M. Tsuchiya and H. Ohsaki. “Charactericstics of electromagnetic force of EMS-type
Maglev vehicle using bulk superconductors,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics.
September 2000.
[6] Mark Brown, “Robot plane-train uses ground-effect principle to levitate,” Wired
Magazine UK, [online] May 12, 2011. http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/201105/12/ground-effect-train
[7] Nick Bilton, “Questioning the feasibility of Hyperloop,” New York Times 2013.
Available: http://search.proquest.com/docview/1425848779?accountid=14749
[8] Sevara Melibaeva, Joseph Sussman and Travis Dunn, “Comparative study of highspeed passenger rail development in megaregion corridors: Current experiences and
future opportunities,” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems
Division, December 2010.
[9] “The future of transport: No loopy idea,” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper
Ltd. [online] August 17, 2013. http://www.economist.com/news/science-andtechnology/21583588-elon-musk-electric-car-entrepreneur-and-proponent-privatecolonies-mars
[10] Tim De Chant, “Promises and perils of Hyperloop and other high-speed trains,”
NovaNext, PBS.org [online] August 13, 2013.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/tech/hyperloop-and-high-speed-trains/
Jeffrey Eric Orr
WRIT 340 – Townsend
Illumin Article
“Transportation Revolution with Hyperloop Technology”
14
Table 1: Created by Jeffrey Eric Orr
Data sources:
“Railway Timeline – Important Moments in Railway History.” Train History.
http://www.trainhistory.net/railway-history/railroad-timeline/
“Important milestones in English and American railway development.” Railroad
History. http://www.sdrm.org/history/timeline/
Table 2: Elon Musk, “Hyperloop Alpha,” SpaceX
Figure 1: Created by Jeffrey Eric Orr
Data Source:
Daryl Oster, Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies, www.et3.com
Figure 2: Created by Jeffrey Eric Orr
Data Source:
Elon Musk, “Hyperloop Alpha,” SpaceX
Figure 3: Created by Jeffrey Eric Orr
Data sources:
Elon Musk, “Hyperloop Alpha,” SpaceX
“Shinkansen.” Japan Guide. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018.html
“Trimble Alignment Planning: Portugal HSL high speed rail reduces costs by
10%.” Trimble Productivity. http://www.trimbleproductivity.com/articles/Trimble-Alignment-Planning-Portugal-hsr