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The First Major Hyperloop Track Could Be Coming To Central Ohio Soon

I have always been an optimist and a daydreamer, so it’s no surprise that I’m easily excited by any and all things regarding Hyperloop One.

Innovations like the hyperloop always seem a little distant, but construction on the first set of track in our area could begin within the next few years. Central Ohio is hoping to build the first segment of track where Virgin Hyperloop One will test the safety of 500 mph pods.

According to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Central Ohio is one of an undisclosed number narrowed down from 17 state and local governments that put in bids to land the testing and certification center.

The track would be at least 6 miles long, allowing for the pods to get up to full speed for safety and other tests. Construction would begin in 2021 on the track, which will later serve as the first leg of the Midwest route from Chicago to Pittsburgh.

via Hyperloop One

MORPC hasn’t released the exact location for the potential test site, they did confirm that it will be in the northwest part of Central Ohio, likely near the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, 50 minutes northwest of Columbus.

The aim of Hyperloop One is to create a new mode of transportation that moves both people and freight quickly, safely, and directly from origin to destination. Passengers or cargo are loaded into hyperloop pod vehicles that accelerate gradually using electric propulsion in a low-pressure tube.

The current short test track for Hyperloop One in Nevada.

Thanks to magnetic levitation, the pod floats above the track, gliding at airline speeds. The tracks for Hyperloop One will either be built on columns or tunneled below ground, avoiding grade crossings and wildlife. Hyperloop One is planned to be fully autonomous and enclosed, which means less human error and travel delays due to weather. The hyperloop also has no direct carbon emissions.

From a passenger standpoint, the hyperloop experience will be more like traveling on an airplane than a train. There won’t be any stops along your way to your destination. If you’re interested in learning more about how the hyperloop works, Virgin Hyperloop One’s website has all of the answers.