Hammonds Point
Hyperloop Personal Mass Transit
hyperloop personal mass transit
A revolutionary transportation system is needed and it must be faster than flying, more convenient than driving and cheaper than a maglev train; with the additional caveat of being environmentally friendly.
Enter Hyperloop Alpha presented by SpaceX and Tesla Motors; a self-powered transit system where speed is the new norm. The Hyperloop Evacuated Tube System (ETS) clearly defines the first terrestrial transit system to completely redefine how people get from one place to another.
Hyperloop Alpha is revolutionary in many ways and, if built as proposed, it would be similar to space travel on Earth. Further, if the system were to meet all the criteria set forth by its author, it would be: “Safer, faster, lower cost, more convenient, immune to weather, sustainably self-powering, resistant to earth quakes and not disruptive to those along the route”. A tall order by any measure.
Any next generation transit system should have at its core, the capability to serve all of its riders in a way that meets their individual needs.
In addition, gone should be the large carriages full of people who do not want to sit next to each other as seen now on airplanes.
The Hyper-Ring is a light-weight conveyance apparatus capable of autonomously traversing a Hyperloop Evacuated Tube System (ETS).
The main difference with a conveyance device approach is the ring itself is not pressurized for human occupancy. Since the ring would be considered a “pod transporter”, it will only be equipped with the components needed for conveyance, navigation and braking.
The Hyper-Ring would conform to all ETS specifications depending on the system is was being developed for.
The ring would be constructed with the same materials and processes used to make airplane fuselages.
The top of the pod will be mated to the top of the ring by means of a hydraulic lock mechanism, while the bottom of the pod will be secured in place by means of integrated receivers to create structural integrity.
The Hyper-Pod is a transit pod capable of traversing a Hyperloop ETS. The Hyper-Pod chassis would be considered a “multi-use transportation platform”.
All Hyper-Pods share the same chassis design in order to take advantage of a universal locking mechanism. In this way, a single chassis design can be employed to reduce complexity and build costs.
There are two basic types of transit pods proposed for the hyper-ring transporter.
The first would be “passenger pod” capable of withstanding the low-pressure environment of the Evacuated Tube System. In its most practical form, the passenger pod would seat 2-5 people and a small amount of luggage.
The second type would be a “cargo only” pod. The cargo pod would include standard truck e-rails in order to secure items for transit. Comfort amenities and the Life Support System (LSS) would be left out to make room for cargo and reduce weight.
It goes without saying that a system of this size and complexity would have to rely on a number of novel support and operational systems. To name a few:
- Kinetic Airlock System
- Magnetic Track Switching
- Off-Line Passenger Pod Storage
- Off-Line Ring Storage Silos
- Low Speed Acceleration and Deceleration
The future of evacuated tube travel is yet to be fully realized. As the systems come online and companies embrace the technology, there will need to be a large investment in infrastructure and capacity.
When speed and convenience meet reliability and safety there should be nothing stopping the full scale development of statewide and even transcontinental transit. Further, if personalization can be employed along with the new technology, attracting new riders should never be an issue.
All hail ETS.