The company planning an ultra-high-speed tube train between Edmonton and Calgary revealed its “groundbreaking” vehicle this week in Toronto.
TransPod’s “FluxJet” was described as a hybrid between a jet aircraft and a train when a scaled-down version was featured in a demonstration showing its take-off, travel and stopping procedures within its tube-like “guideway.”
The snake-like passenger and cargo carrier is projected to travel at speeds of over 1,000 km per hour — faster than a jet and three times as fast as a high-speed train.
“All the hard work over the past few years has led to this milestone moment where talk is becoming a reality,” said Sebastien Gendron, co-founder and CEO, TransPod. “The technology is proven, and we have the confidence of investors, governments, and partners to continue pushing forward to redefine transportation effectively.”
Earlier this year, Tranpod confirmed $550 million US in private-sector financing for the project, and announced the next phase of an $18 billion US infrastructure project to build the TransPod Line to connect Calgary and Edmonton.
Preliminary construction work, including an environmental impact assessment, has begun. The project is expected to create up to 140,000 jobs and add $19.2 billion to the region’s GDP throughout construction. said Gendron.
Once the TransPod Line is operational, it will cost passengers approximately 44 per cent less than a plane ticket to travel the corridor and reduce CO2 emissions by 636,000 tonnes per year, states a company release.
“This milestone is a major leap forward,” said Ryan Janzen, co-founder and CTO, TransPod. “The FluxJet is at a nexus of scientific research, industrial development, and massive infrastructure to address passengers’ needs and reduce our dependence on fossil-fuel-heavy jets and highways.”
Construction of the first tube link, between Edmonton Airport and the south end of Edmonton is expected to begin in 2023. TransPod is using all private investment for the transportation system, which is expected to be completed in Alberta by 2035.
Gendron would like to see a Red Deer stop on this line. However, he added that private investors in the project might need some convincing that it’s worthwhile to spend a $1 billion to create a mid-way stop in central Alberta.
He suggested in May that Red Deer-area politicians have about three years to lobby for it before the project’s planning progresses too far and the decision becomes moot.
Red Deer’s Mayor Ken Johnston and other city officials have expressed strong support for a local station, saying it’s needed to keep growing the area’s economy.
An economic analysis indicated TransPod would contribute $1.9 billion annually to Alberta’s economy and remove a third of the traffic between Calgary and Edmonton, removing an average of 636,000 tonnes of CO2 emission per year through fewer car and airplane trips.
Gendron estimated $22.4 billion (or about $45.1 million per kilometre) is needed to complete the line, which will consist of about 350 kilometers of track between Alberta’s two largest centres. As well, an additional $6.7 billion will be needed for fixed infrastructure, such as stations.
A corporate video of the FluxJet demonstration can be viewed on YouTube.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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