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Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.
Ever heard of the Hyperloop, the technology being pitched in California by tech mogul Elon Musk that would whisk people in pods 700 mph through underground tunnels? He’s just said Philly is on the, uh, fast track to get one.
This morning, Musk tweeted he and one of his companies had received “verbal govt approval” for a New York to Philly to Baltimore to DC Hyperloop. The trip from New York to DC would be 29 minutes, meaning it should take even less time to get from Philly to either destination.
How likely is this to happen? Well, things haven’t developed quickly for the technology in California. Musk introduced the concept in 2013 but didn’t start an official Hyperloop business. Companies in Europe and the US, however, are working on the technology. It’s estimated the California Hyperloop, which would run from San Francisco to Los Angeles, would cost at least $6 billion and likely much more.
If Musk’s idea is more than just a pipe dream, it would be the second proposal for faster transit along the East Coast. Amtrak, in recent years, has talked of installing high speed rail on the Northeast Corridor. With high speed rail, passengers could get from New York to Philly in about 35 minutes and from Philly to DC in about an hour.
Like the Hyperloop, it’s considered a long shot in the near future. The project would cost $151 billion, and the federal government has neglected Amtrak for years.