Elon Musk’s 29-Mile Vegas Loop Under the Strip Wins Approval (Video)

Elon Musk’s Boring Company has won permit approval and a franchise agreement to build the Vegas Loop under the Las Vegas Strip.

The 29-mile underground transportation system would connect with the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop that opened in June. That .8-mile link transports convention center goers through tunnels in electric Teslas and is Musk’s first fully commercial operational tunnel.  

The Vegas Loop would have 51 stations throughout the Strip and into Clark County and would have a capacity of 57,000 passengers per hour. The Clark County Commission approved a special-use permit October 20 for The Boring Company to apply for and receive building permits to build the tunnels, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

The commission also approved a franchise agreement with Boring that allows it to operate the Loop. Boring would pay to build the Loop and then collect fares from passengers. The commissions says no tax dollars would go toward funding the project. The franchise agreement also faces a vote by the Las Vegas City Council.

Along with the Strip, the Vegas Loop would connect to downtown, McCarran International Airport and Allegiant Stadium. The Boring Company says the goal is to eventually link Las Vegas and Los Angeles.


A map of the proposed route of the Vegas Loop to be built by Elon Musk’s Boring Company.The Boring CompanyBoring and Las Vegas convention center representatives hailed the Vegas Loop as a relief to the city’s traffic congestion and an easier way to get visitors to their destinations. An example provided by Boring says a trip from the convention center to Mandalay Bay, which can take up to 30 minutes, would be shaved to 3 minutes with the Loop.

“The Vegas Loop will be a game-changer for our visitors in moving them around our exciting destination quickly, conveniently and in an entertaining ‘Only Vegas’ way,” says Steve Hill, LVCVA president and CEO.

The electric Teslas would travel through the tunnel directly to a passenger’s destination station with no stops along the way, unlike a subway system. The Boring Company provided the following sample trips and fares:

Sample fares chart for Vegas Loop
Sample fares for the future Vegas Loop, which would be self-supporting.The Boring Company

Musk envisions the Teslas reaching speeds of up to 150 mph and being autonomously driven. High-occupancy automated electric Teslas are also planned that would hold up to 16 passengers with sitting and standing room.

The convention center Loop, which opened in June, consists of a mix of 62 Tesla Models 3 and X that have drivers and reach top speed of 40 mph, because of the tunnels’ short length. They can hold up to five passengers.

The convention center tunnels are 40 feet underground. Riders can travel across the convention center campus in 2 minutes versus a 25-minute walk. The Loop debuted at World of Concrete this year. It cost $52.5 million to build. It has a capacity of 4,400 passengers per hour and three stations.

Check out this video of the convention center Loop:

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Dig in Tight Spots with Komatsu’s New PC78US-11 Compact Excavator

Komatsu has introduced a new “tight tail swing” excavator well-suited for urban environments, confined spaces and crowded jobsites.

With its 68-horsepower engine, six work modes and swing radius under 5 feet, the PC78US-11 can handle precise digging, as well as large excavation tasks.

The 12-foot 2-inch boom has a greater raising angle and a short implement swing radius (6 feet 9 inches minimum), giving the PC78US-11 the ability to dig efficiently in a crowded space. At the rear, the tail swing radius measures just 4 feet 7 inches. Viewed from above, both the front and the rear corners of the superstructure are rounded, with the maximum cab extension over the tracks at just 9 inches.

For fast digging

Komatsu’s newest tight tail swing excavator is ideal for urban environments and confined spaces.Komatsu

Good operators like a quick machine, and Komastu’s faster boom up and swing speed increases productivity by 9%. To better match machine performance to the application, Komatsu arms the PC78US-11 with six work modes: power, economy, lifting, breaker, attachment-power, and attachment-economy.

For operators who prefer backhoe-style controls, a pattern change selector valve comes standard. The grading blade has a new moldboard profile to improve backfilling and grading efficiency. The PC78US-11 accepts buckets from 0.10 to 0.26 cubic yards.

Low maintenance demands

A new high-output 2.4-liter, Tier 4 Final engine gives you ground-level access to service points. The heavy-duty, high-pressure common rail fuel injection system and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (CEGR) achieve near complete combustion in cylinder to reduce emissions.

A Komatsu diesel oxidation catalyst removes exhaust soot and enables 100% passive regeneration without a diesel particulate filter or regular refills of diesel exhaust fluid. The no-DPF, no-DEF design translates into lower owning and operating costs, reduced maintenance and one less component to replace or worry about.

Komatsu’s compact engine makes room for a fan clutch system, allowing engine and hydraulic system tuning to reduce noise by a full decibel. Typical in-cab noise levels measure 71 decibels — about the same as a household vacuum cleaner. When engine cooling is not required, the viscous fan clutch reduces parasitic horsepower draw. Overall engine improvements boost fuel efficiency as much as 13%.

Cab comfort

The air-suspension seat has deep side supports and an adjustable backrest angle to support operators of all sizes. The cab comes with AM/FM radio with USB and Bluetooth technology.

Komatsu improved cab dampening by incorporating a spring and a longer stroke on the viscous cab mounts. This, plus a beefed up deck, reduces vibration to the operator to keep him or her more comfortable and focused throughout the day. The sealed and pressurized cab keeps dust out and automatically maintains temperatures to the level set on the monitor.

A sliding cab door makes access easier, especially when you’re entering or exiting the excavator up against a wall or in confined spaces. The cab is ROPS certified and satisfies the requirements of ISO OPG Top Guard Level 1 for falling objects.

Crowded jobsites often restrict sight lines, so Komatsu added a 7-inch LCD display to the PC78US-11 with a standard rearview camera image. LED lights provide nighttime illumination of the jobsite.

The variable displacement/axial piston hydraulics for the boom, arm, bucket, swing and travel circuits offer a maximum flow of 44.4 gallons per minute. Relief-valve settings for implement circuits are rated at 4,264 psi. The auxiliary circuits put out 36.5 gpm/3,830 psi (two way) and 21.1 gpm/2,490 psi (one way).

For travel and trailer considerations, the PC78US-11 has an operating weight of 17,747 pounds.

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