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The first tests of Elon Musk's revolutionary high-speed transport system could begin soon after Hyperloop One, one of 12 companies competing to make the idea a reality, completed its test track. The company has finished work on its 500 metre long testing tunnel, which is situated in the Nevada desert, near Las Vegas, and has a diameter of 3.3 meters. It is expected to run initial trials on the near-supersonic speed train in the first half of this year.
The development follows last month's news that Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, another competing company, has started building the first passenger capsule. The pods will be able to carry 28 to 40 passengers at a time and depart every 40 seconds, the company said. They could be ready as early as next year.
(Score: 2) by butthurt on Sunday April 09 2017, @05:15AM
The photo in the article shows the test tunnel as being at least partly above ground. In the text I didn't see anything saying that that's the plan for the working routes. They could be built underground, or partly so (before seeing this article I assumed, or had read, that the tunnels would be subterranean). If it's above ground, building it on flat terrain would be advantageous. Among the possible routes mentioned are Cheyenne, Wyoming to Houston; Boston to Providence, Rhode Island; and Manchester to London. Those all afford fairly flat terrain, I believe.