THE first application of Hyperloop vacuum tube pods will likely to be in freight sector, according the UK's Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) as safety issues are less acute than in the passenger field.
'Going at the speeds of 760 mph, the concerns around the impact on humans are removed, which means that the pods can travel through tighter corners with fewer repercussions on the cargo,' said TRL.
'That doesn't negate the safety case for this system, but it does take away all the human factors related to transportation of people.'
A current project being undertaken with Magway is looking into delivering parcels between distribution and consolidation centres via underground pipelines with multiple destinations along the way, reported London's Transport Times.
Therefore this increases its potential uptake for freight as it becomes possible to deliver cargo to multiple locations across the country at aircraft speeds at ground level.
The concept comes from multi-billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. His idea draws heavily on Robert Goddard's vactrain, running in a hyperloop sealed tube through which a pod may travel free of air resistance at high speed.
Wide adoption of this method of freight transportation could reduce congestion on road and rail systems, with organisations looking to increase speed and efficiency, said the reports.
TRL believes that at this stage, moving freight via Hyperloop, has far greater potential than passenger transport. However, until the necessary trials are complete and more research is undertaken into its overall viability, there are too many unknowns to understand whether Hyperloop will become a feasible mode of transport, it said.
WORLD SHIPPING
'Going at the speeds of 760 mph, the concerns around the impact on humans are removed, which means that the pods can travel through tighter corners with fewer repercussions on the cargo,' said TRL.
'That doesn't negate the safety case for this system, but it does take away all the human factors related to transportation of people.'
A current project being undertaken with Magway is looking into delivering parcels between distribution and consolidation centres via underground pipelines with multiple destinations along the way, reported London's Transport Times.
Therefore this increases its potential uptake for freight as it becomes possible to deliver cargo to multiple locations across the country at aircraft speeds at ground level.
The concept comes from multi-billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. His idea draws heavily on Robert Goddard's vactrain, running in a hyperloop sealed tube through which a pod may travel free of air resistance at high speed.
Wide adoption of this method of freight transportation could reduce congestion on road and rail systems, with organisations looking to increase speed and efficiency, said the reports.
TRL believes that at this stage, moving freight via Hyperloop, has far greater potential than passenger transport. However, until the necessary trials are complete and more research is undertaken into its overall viability, there are too many unknowns to understand whether Hyperloop will become a feasible mode of transport, it said.
WORLD SHIPPING