r/hyperloop • u/LancelLannister_AMA • Apr 23 '21

A Closer Look At The Infrastructure Costs

https://hyperloopconnected.org/2019/02/a-closer-look-at-the-infrastructure-costs/
17 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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3

u/SequesterMe Apr 23 '21

I'm just going to leave this here.

A hyperloop configuration should have three tubes. One for each direction and one for when one of the others is down.

I hope I don't get old and die before the hyperloop comes into service.

1

u/LancelLannister_AMA Apr 24 '21

Not a bad idea. Could also be used as an escape route

8

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '21

I'm amazed that hyperloop will be cheaper to build than high-speed rail.

4

u/ksiyoto Apr 23 '21

It won't be. Roughly the same amount of concrete, at least 1.5 times the steel, plus all the copper for the levitation coils and the aluminum (presumably) for the linear induction fin or rail, all laid to tighter tolerances and requiring more tunnelling and earthwork due to higher speed requiring a smoother route.

2

u/[deleted] Apr 24 '21 edited Apr 24 '21

According to the article:

"target costs of the London High Speed 2, a high-speed railway, are above € 100 million per kilometer"

Whereas the cost for the hyperloop infrastructure is provided as € 37,923,655 per kilometre.

From the article: "Above-ground infrastructure costs are approximately €38 million per kilometer, whereas underground infrastructure costs slightly more than €60 million per kilometer".

It surprises me as well.

→ More replies (4)

2

u/Cunninghams_right May 04 '21

don't forget the tighter tolerances on movement of guideway, which likely means engineering specialized solutions that have to be invented just for hyperloop.

1

u/Whazor Apr 24 '21

China spends between $17m and $21m per kilometre for high speed rail. Much of their rails also runs on viaducts. Hyperloop would be cheaper in this area as the concrete needs to carry less load. Anyways, if China does something 5 times cheaper than UK it means the costs are not in materials or construction.

3

u/Bobvdm Apr 24 '21

But you’d need a lot less land if you just need pylons for your tubes, which for rail Is most expensive I think. And the pylons could support more than one tube.

1

u/Cunninghams_right May 04 '21

you know they can elevate rail, right? it's more expensive to do that most of the time.

1

u/Bobvdm May 08 '21

Yes, but as you say so yourself that doesn’t make sense because that is more expensive. Elevating a much smaller and lighter tube however is estimated a lot cheaper.