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(CNN) - Several rival companies are working hard to try to get Elon Musk's Hyperloop concept off the ground, but a train that crosses the country - perhaps even running across continents - at almost 1,000 km / h in a tube of Low pressure steel still feels far from reality.
However, Caroline Crouchley, a 13-year-old student from New York, may have invented a cheaper and greener Hyperloop solution.
Crouchley's idea, which has just won second place in the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, is to build pneumatic tubes next to existing train tracks.
Magnetic shuttles would travel through these vacuum tubes, connected by a magnetic arm to trains traveling on existing tracks.
- How long does it take for Hyperloop, the futuristic transport, to come into operation?
This system would use the current train tracks, which would reduce infrastructure costs and, according to Crouchley, eradicate the potential safety risk involved in driving passengers in a vacuum.
There would be no need for trains to use diesel or electric engines, so the trains would be lighter and more fuel efficient.
This is important for Crouchley, which aims to devise active solutions to the climate crisis.
"I pointed to transportation as something I wanted to work on because if we can make trains more efficient, then we can eliminate the amount of cars, trucks and buses on the roads," Crouchley told CNN Travel.
Real world inspiration
Crouchley, from Garden City in New York State, focused on train travel as a solution because his father and brother regularly travel by train to New York.
Her science teacher encouraged her to participate in the Young Scientists Challenge, which invites high school students in the United States to send a video describing an ingenious solution to a daily problem.
“After getting inspired, I researched a lot about my design and about Hyperloop and Maglev. I put my design on paper and then put it in Autodesk Inventor, ”says Crouchley. Autodesk is a computer program for 3D design.
The Maglev, Crouchley said, is a very efficient, but expensive train design.
Meanwhile, he concluded that the most traditional forms of Hyperloop have their flaws.
"Hyperloop is very high risk," says Crouchley.
“My design can be less expensive and more efficient than current train technology that already exists. It is also safer than Hyperloop.
Caroline Crouchley designed an innovative concept of the Hyperloop train (Credit: Caroline Crouchley)
My design can depend on 100% renewable energy, so it eliminates the need for a diesel engine or an electric motor, which makes the train lighter so it can move faster. ”
Future steps
Crouchley's design took second place in the Young Scientist Challenge. Californian Kara Fan, 14, who invented a first aid liquid bandage designed to reduce the risk of infection by superbugs, took first place.
Crouchley says participating in the competition was a lot of fun. Along the way, he worked with a mentor, presented his invention to a panel of scientists and worked together with other young innovative scientists.
The next step to realize your Hyperloop dream? Build a larger model to determine how the concept will work on a larger scale.
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