A ‘Hyperloop’ Train Between Rochester and the Twin Cities being Discussed

There are talks about the possibility of a super-high-speed train being put between Rochester, Minnesota and the Twin Cities. And by super-high-speed I mean SUPER-high-speed.

This thing would go 700 mph!

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Right now it's all talks, though. There's no other place in the world that has something like this yet, according to the Star Tribune. The technology needs to be studied more.

What is a 'Hyperloop' Train?

It's technically called a "'hyperloop' vacuum tunnel" that was talked about by Elon Musk about 10 years. It's described as a "largely theoretical technology" but a group of Minnesota civic leaders, with the help of the company HyperloopTT, are wanting money to study the possibility of this technology working between Rochester and the Twin Cities.

Of course, there's a long ways to go before this hyperloop train would actually become a reality. They need the money to study if this would actually work. Then if they get the money the study/studies need to happen. If that works out then they'd probably need more money and then years to build it.

But! If this thing did work out, at 700 mph it would take what would usually be an 80-90 minute trip from the Rochester International Airport to MSP down to 15 minutes. WHAT?!

The Hyperloop May be Tested in Italy First

While HyperloopTT is working on getting money for the study in Minnesota, they have been working to build a hyperloop in Venice, Italy. Just recently, they "won another contract to provide technology for a short hyperloop".

If the hyperloop gets built in Italy it would theoretically be ready for people to use for the 2026 Winter Olympics. This would be huge and the first type of public transportation of its kind.

Connecting Rochester and the Twin Cities

It seems like a no-brainer to connect Rochester and the Twin Cities with some sort of train. The Star Tribune writes that there hasn't been a connecting train since 1963.

To me, it doesn't matter if it's super-high-speed like this hyperloop or not, it would just make so much sense to have some sort of public transportation connecting our three biggest cities in the state.