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Questions raised over future of Hyperloop train in Maryland

Posted at 8:05 AM, Mar 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-27 08:05:05-04

A faster way of getting from Maryland to DC may involve going underground.

Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and Space-X, wants to build something called a Hyperloop that would take traffic underground. The idea is the tunnel would start in Baltimore and would only take up the space of a parking spot.

RELATED: Elon Musk working on bringing Hyperloop to Maryland

The plans indicate there would be trailers called skates, and individual cars to hold passengers and bicyclists speeding up to 124 miles per hour underground reducing the trip to only 29 minutes. The 35-mile long tunnel would end at New York Avenue in DC. 

Boeing already has a permit to start digging, and they're working with more than a dozen agencies including the MDTA to get the plans off the ground.  They say construction of the tunnels could take 1-2 years, but the digging would happen 30 feet underground so you won't notice it up here on the sidewalk.

While these plans are exciting, the technology is not yet there to create the skates.

"I'm skeptical that we will see Hyperloop changing transportation in the Washington region anytime soon," explained transportation expert Paul Lewis.

It has not been released when the construction would actually start.