• Tankiedesantski [he/him]
    hexbear
    2
    6 months ago

    Turns out making a train or maglev inside of a vaccuum tube is more expensive and has insourmountable technical challenges when compared to making...

    You know a train or maglev outside of a vaccuum tube

    China is already eyeballing a commercial Hyperloop track between Hangzhou and Shanghai by 2035. That said, China is coming from a place where they've already ironed out much of the tech behind a maglev already, so a Hyperloop is more of a "what's next?" Instead of a pie in the sky dream from nothing.

    • @vexikron@lemmy.zip
      hexbear
      2
      6 months ago

      I would very much like to read as much about that as I possibly could!

      I will be honest, I still think the general idea of a train of some kind in a vaccuum tube makes basically no sense whatsoever...

      ... but maybe either this is not exactly that and theyre just using the name hyperloop, or maybe somehow they think they can or already have figured out the engineering/economic difficulties with the core concept.

      Either way would make some interesting reading!

      • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
        hexbear
        3
        6 months ago

        Here's a recentish article from SCMP. Sounds like they've got the route planning mostly done and are pushing ahead with the technical issues. Article says that Hyperloop tech is still in the early stages and many technical challenges lay ahead. We probably won't hear much more about it until the major tech breakthroughs are already made and tested because the Chinese state sector doesn't blow its trumpet until the project is almost done.

        Seems like high level people from state and SOE organizations are involved so at least it's unlikely to be a startup grift.

        • @vexikron@lemmy.zip
          hexbear
          2
          edit-2
          6 months ago

          Welp, they got a test track and a miniature capsule going 600 km/h so far, or such speed is claimed.

          I am not able to find any video actually showing the test capsule moving anywhere near that fast, and strangely the SCMP article you posted makes reference to a potential 1000km/h, while their youtube video on it only mentions 600 km/h.

          So basically they have gotten as far as the American hyperloop did.

          Guess I'll keep my eye out for updates.