US technology companies have made the “disruption” their life philosophy and now want to revolutionize the railroad with “Hyperloop”, a train would approach the speed of sound and aspire to and develop dozens of companies.
in 2013, the magnate and guru of innovation Elon Musk (SpaceX and Tesla) outlined the idea of ”Hyperloop” means a levitation train that would move into tubes where air resistance would be almost zero for allow these futuristic cars chafe or exceed the speed of sound.
Since then, Musk has opened your idea to everyone who wants to recreate and created a competition with funding to accelerate the development of concepts and prototypes whose response has exceeded early expectations.
on Wednesday, the first of those companies, Hyperloop One, which has attracted more than 80 million initial investment, tested in the Nevada desert (EE. UU.) engine prototype magnetic propulsion (more like a linear electric motor which levitation).
Although they were only a few seconds of acceleration toward a sandbar that stopped the device, this is the first step to demonstrate the feasibility of a project that curiously is given in a country where high speed (an extended reality in countries like Japan, France or Spain) is nonexistent. 
The interest has attracted teams of university or entrepreneurs, but also companies railway as the French SNCF, who see serious potential in a concept that would revolutionize land transportation, tripling the high speed current and able to overcome the times of commercial aviation.
the promoters of this new system will they call the great medium fifth transport history, after the boat, railway, automobile and airplane.
Rob Lloyd, chief of Hyperloop One counselor, believes the system will be operational in 2020, despite some critics believe that this would only be possible with much higher than the 6,000 million dollars Musk believes it would cost to join the 600 kilometers from San Francisco to Los Angeles spending.
doubts arise when look at more long-lived projects applying expensive technology of magnetic levitation.
the “Maglev” a concept born in the 70s but did not materialize until 2004, on the train linking Shanghai with its airport, have not become an alternative to steel wheels of trains.
- 2020 year that would be running the Hyperloop technology.
the project Japanese to cover the 500 kilometers between Tokyo and Osaka in an hour with a new line Maglev is budgeted at about 88,000 million, an astronomical figure compared with estimates of cost of “Hyperloop” Musk.
but the race for the “Hyperloop” does not seem to fall into despair, a feeling that is characteristic of enthusiastic entrepreneurs and investors in Silicon Valley, who have spent chip, the personal computer and the Internet to conquer space technology, automotive or upend sectors settled as the host, taxi or logistics.
a week ago, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HTT) said it has discovered a technology that tremendously cheapen magnetic levitation by applying a method known as ” passive magnetic levitation “. Bibop Gresta, chief operating officer of HTT, explained that “passive levitation eliminates the need for power stations along the routes, which would reduce the extra cost.”
The technique transfers the power source the wagon “Hyperloop” with a combination of magnets to orient the magnetic field in one direction and maximize the levitation effect, while a linear electric motor (similar to Hyperloop One) drives the train forward. In this case, the levitation occurs only when the “Hyperloop” acquires a certain speed, but once suspended above the road, the device does not have to beat almost any friction and can reach never before seen speeds.
But as they are well known in Silicon Valley, from concept to reality there may be a stretch sometimes insurmountable, especially when it’s not about software or consumer electronics, but to reach Mars or end forever with the limitations of land transport .
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