The almost 500-mile corridor from Chicago to Columbus to Pittsburgh could become a "mega-region" connected by high-speed tubes that drive economic growth across four states, officials for Hyperloop One believe.

Now, "there's not even a direct highway linking the three" cities, Y.J. Fischer of Hyperloop One told a Columbus audience of freight experts Thursday.

Fischer, who wouldn't answer questions from The Dispatch after her talk, is crossing the globe evangelizing Hyperloop One. The transportation company insists it will revolutionize how and where people live and work and how goods are moved.

"We are combining the speed of a plane with the capacity of a train," Fischer said. It would be as convenient as a subway.

Hyperloop One aims to build large vacuum tubes that will whisk pods, carrying people and goods, at cruising speeds of 671 miles per hour, allowing a Columbus resident to commute 29 minutes to work in Chicago or 18 minutes to Pittsburgh.

The technology uses pods magnetically elevated inside vacuum tubes. That reduces friction, maximizing speed. Electro-magnetic technology shoots the pod through the tube. All rides are planned to be non-stop. Tubes eventually will have on- and off-ramps to link nationwide.

Hyperloop One is calling the 47-minute Chicago-to-Columbus-to-Pittsburgh route "Hyperloop Midwest." At 488 miles, it is the third longest of the 11 proposed routes. Hyperloop Midwest is one of 11 U.S. and 35 international finalists — out of 2,600 applicants — for the first Hyperloop One route.

"Hyperloop Midwest" was mentioned by Hyperloop One CEO Rob Lloyd at an April conference as the example of how the new transportation system can shorten travel times and no longer rely on geography to define where we work or live.

He noted that the midwest mega-region includes four states, 15 professional sports teams, six major airports and, importantly, 181 college and universities. It's also in the middle of the country and its supply chain.

"This is really about creating an economic mega-region by making opportunities for employment expand to a much greater area," Llyod said at that conference, "We see the opportunities for some of the most famous universities, who are generating some of the most brilliant minds, to open up employment opportunities and an economic region."

Imagine, Fischer said, travel with no more weather delays because there is no weather inside the tube. Travelers won't need time tables because Hyperloop One is on demand and personal. She didn't mention the cost to ride or use the service. And she never discussed what it would cost to build or where that money would come from.

The hyperloop also would help manufacturing and supply chains, she said, allowing factories and plants to be located anywhere because the pool of workers and suppliers would expand exponentially on Hyperloop One's speedy routes.

A smart phone app likely will be used to summon the pod, pick a destination and pay the fare.

"This stuff could happen within a couple of years," Lloyd said in April. "We're not talking decades."

kperry@dispatch.com

@kimballperry