Hyperloop feasibility study makes the case for high-speed Calgary-Edmonton line

Transpod claims a hyperloop between Edmonton and Calgary will boost jobs (image: TransPod)

Edmonton — A high-speed hyperloop link between Calgary and Edmonton would boost Alberta jobs and its economy, according to a feasibility study from TransPod.

Last August, TransPod signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Alberta to determine the feasibility of a hyperloop between Alberta's two largest cities with potential speeds of 1,000 km/h.

Its new study claims construction will cost billions of dollars but the finished loop would create upwards of 140,000 jobs while adding  $19.2 billion to the province’s GDP and reducing carbon emissions by 636,000 tonnes per year.

The study also cites faster travel times, reduced highway traffic, and greater affordability for travellers.

The company says an initial investment proposal amounting to $1 billion has been shared with the government.

The hyperloop would be constructed at ground level and TransPod says the vehicles travel within low-pressure tubes protected from the elements, making the system "immune to weather."

The vehicles are driven by "linear induction motors and air compressors" and the lack of friction allows them to travel at speeds faster than jets and nearly triple those of current high-speed trains.

If the project progresses, test track construction and high-speed tests would take place in the five years leading up to 2027 and construction of the inter-city line bridging Calgary and Edmonton could potentially begin in 2025.