THE MUCH-HYPED HYPERLOOP HAS GONE DOWN THE TUBES

And so ends Missouri’s latest adventure in science fiction

The Hyperloop is dead.

Hyperloop One, formerly Virgin Hyperloop, announced it will be selling off its assets and shutting down operations by year’s end, Bloomberg reported last week. This effectively ends the dream that had captivated Missouri officials in 2017 – and since ­– with its promise to whisk people from St. Louis to Kansas City in 23 minutes.

In tubes.

As far as I can tell, the demise of the Hyperloop hasn’t received a whisper of local coverage, which is understandable. This chapter of state history is best left to the historians if they have the stomach for it.

Remember when Gov. Eric Greitens proclaimed that the Hyperloop would be pivotal to luring Amazon’s giant new headquarters to the state? I didn’t think you did. Or maybe you just would rather forget.

And how about Gov. Mike Parson’s blue-ribbon panel or the University of Missouri’s partnership with Virgin Hyperloop and a major engineering firm from Kansas City? Perhaps most painfully, do you recall when Missouri was the semi-finalist for a test track for Hyperloop and state officials had to utter the six most humiliating words ever?