Hyperloop is dead

[Mushroom]

Well, it seems like the entire "Hyperloop Hype Train" is finally derailed and dying.

Virgin Hyperloop laid off almost half of its staff working on Friday, making 111 people redundant, as the company shifts focus from transporting people to shipping freight.

“It’s allowing the company to respond in a more agile and nimble way and in a more cost-efficient manner,” Virgin Hyperloop told the Financial Times, blaming the company’s change in direction on COVID “global supply-chain issues.”

But hyperloops—which propose propelling passengers down a vacuum-sealed tube in pods at speeds reaching 670 miles per hour—were struggling to gain traction long before COVID. Virgin Hyperloop has intrigued only one potential client, Saudi Arabia, since its inception in 2014, while rival hyperloop ventures have already given up.

Virgin Hyperloop layoffs, pivot to freight kill the dream of tube travel

Turns out humans are unlikely to be sucked through vacuums anytime soon.

fortune.com

First Elron Musk gave us his "Las Vegas Hyperloop", which is nothing but Tesla cars slowly driving in a tunnel. And even though we were promised actual systems by 2018 2019 2020 2021, most are now finally admitting it seems that it was never possible, and they might as well have put all that money into a big pile and burn it.

 

[JGalt]

People still take public transportation?

I'll be darned.

 

[Mushroom]

People still take public transportation?

Sure they do, but mostly in big cities.

I often used trains when commuting in LA, and even the subways depending on where I lived and where I wanted to go. And when I worked in downtown San Francisco, the ferry was an awesome way to get to and from work.

But the problem in the US is the NIMBY and interference from Government that will never let it work in most areas. I have seen that in California over and over again.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Just now took more than a glance at your avatar. LOL!

 

[Mushroom]

Just now took more than a glance at your avatar. LOL!

What can I say. One of my all time favorite movies.

I saw the replica of the Fat Man bomb when I was at White Sands, and just could not resist having that taken.

 

[james bond]

Well, it seems like the entire "Hyperloop Hype Train" is finally derailed and dying.

Maybe passenger Hyperloop is dead (for now?), but freight Hyperloop is supposed to be catching on.

 

[Augustine_]

most are now finally admitting it seems that it was never possible, and they might as well have put all that money into a big pile and burn it.

What better way to launder money than digging a hole to nowhere?

 

[Mushroom]

Maybe passenger Hyperloop is dead (for now?), but freight Hyperloop is supposed to be catching on.

Right, sure it is.

I believe that about the time I see my packages being delivered by drones from a blimp.