WHERE IT BEGAN!
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The idea of having a tubular structure for transporting people is actually not a new one. The idea was first introduced in the early 1800s by British engineer George Medhurst. He used the properties of air to “drive close-fitting, piston-like four-wheeled carriages at 60 mph” in an underground tunnel. Steam pumps generate the compressed air (Hanlon, 2013). Medhurst’s concept of the Hyperloop consisted of using steam engines to propel the shuttles, but it ultimately failed. Other inventors, such as Richard Trevithick, had developed the very first steam powered trains (Caendish, 2014). As Trevithick’s trains were able to transport heavy loads of resources and people, many other forms of transportation, including Medhurst’s Hyerploop, was defeated. Today, we are all witnesses to the effects of Trevithick’s invention as our society continues to use similar trains. As a result of fossil fuel depletion and climate change, however, the time has come to revive Medhurst’s creative idea.
ELON MUSK
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Physics (Elon Musk Biography: Success Story of The 21st Century Innovator, 2016), Elon Musk quickly discovered an interest in designing renewable transportation systems. His first invention in Tesla Motors inspired the world of automotives because it was fully powered by electricity. Furthermore, Musk continued his exploration of renewable energy by introducing SolarCity and SpaceX. Musk’s ambition geared towards renewable energy use did not end when the Hyperloop was introduced in 2013.
The Hyperloop’s introduction was in response to the proposed California Railway (Koch, 2015).Musk was convinced that he could design a cheaper and more efficient transportation solution than the California Railway, which had an estimated cost up to US$98 billion (Taxpayers could pay dearly for California’s high-speed-train dreams, 2016). After outsourcing this idea to the public, students and intellectuals collaborated in perfecting and addressing the issues with the draft. Today, the Hyperloop continues to undergo experimentations as the draft has been perfected. Moreover, it is absolutely possible for the Hyperloop to be available for use in the near future! |