My One-Time Hometown Hits the Big Time with HyperLoop

HyperLoop is one of the most intriguing aspects of research into ways we can better move humans from Point A to Point B as we believe, here at the Rockhouse, anything short of shooting people from cannons is better than using cars.  (Science Daily: Long-awaited Hyperloop pod demonstrates magnetic levitation)

The cool trick this time is the capability for levitation is presented and this comes from research at the University of Cincinnati, my alma mater in my somewhat hometown.  There were many 'home towns' in my checkered history.  It's cool to see Cincinnati in the news today for something other than heroin overdoses.

(Ed:  that was cold)

Really?  That's what got them in the news the last time I saw Cincinnati pop to the top.  I believe it's a fair call.


Here's the summary of what happened:

The unveiling and demo of Hyperloop UC's prototype at the University of Cincinnati's Myers Alumni Center on Oct. 17 was indeed a moment to celebrate for a team of more than 60 UC students who had been working nonstop to refine their entry into an international Hyperloop competition hosted by Tesla founder Elon Musk.  As CEO of the aerospace firm SpaceX, Musk has challenged the world to submit ideas -- and now prototypes -- for a tube-based passenger system that would allow for travel between cities at the speed of sound.  Testing of prototypes will take place January 27-29 when they will insert their pod for takeoff in a mile-long test track next to SpaceX in Hawthorne, California.

- Science Daily

It sounds like this is working anti-grav and it does get that effect but it's done with magnets and only lifted the pod a quarter of an inch.  Even so, that eliminates the need for oil for lubricating the pipe and there's zero friction beyond drag from the air.  That lets it run up to about 720 mph and now we're talking some seriously cracked ground transportation.

(Moriarty:  it's all good until some bozo train operator runs it into a terminal at seven hundred miles an hour!)

Why do you need to suck the life and soul out of everything, Moriarty.  In the course of advances, sometimes you need to blow some shit up and, at seven hundred miles an hour, it's going to make one really big bang.  Think of it, unless you're in that particular pod, as evolution in action.  Always the negative waves, Moriarty.

Here at the Rockhouse, we're counting on the HyperLoop so much it's integral to the Rock City design for the future and that project has not met its death but rather the problem still pends of what to do with all the heated water which will be created in the Rock City.  I even go to sleep thinking about it since, well, OCD.  The latest is the thinking the water should be directed outbound to the fields where it will be quickly absorbed into the ground to supply the agriculture.

(Ed:  you're talking this too seriously!)

Not at all as that's what makes it interesting.  I don't want to use sci fi magic tricks for solutions unless, well, I need one.  So far I still think there's a way to solve this without being ridiculous or stupidly clever (i.e. the same as ridiculous).