FlightTrain

We are a team of world-class engineers, project managers, and system designers.

TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE’RE HEADED, WE MUST LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN.

At Chinook Propulsion Technologies, we’re reimagining what speed means by propelling a century’s worth of innovation into a 45-minute commute.

What started as a 5-day, or 120-hour, stagecoach journey to travel between the then Fort Edmonton and Fort Calgary in the 1850s was transformed in 1883 when passenger rail was introduced to this burgeoning economic corridor in the soon-to-be province. It cut travel time down to 12 hours and gave new life to the prairies and expansive Rocky Mountain range.

By the time Alberta joined Canada in 1905, rail infrastructure and routes were rapidly advancing, and by 1930, technological advancements further reduced passenger rail travel time to 7 hours in this critical corridor.

Then in 1936, ‘The Chinook’ train was introduced and redefined speed with Western Canada’s first taste of passenger high-speed rail, breaking previous train speed records and reducing travel times from 5 days to an unimagined 5 hours in only 53 years. Moving at speeds of 144 to 160 kilometres per hour, The Chinook ushered in a 49-year reign of rail service that was a staple in moving people and products between Alberta’s two urban centres.

But setting rail speed records was not unique to Alberta, and indeed the homelands of many of our residents were seeing attempts at revolutionizing rail transportation. In France and Britain, experiments were taking place to replace wheels with a cushion of air to reduce friction, and simplify infrastructure so that speeds in excess of 400km/h were possible. Progress was rapid and looked bright with the French efforts carrying passengers by the early 1970’s.

But by 1985, despite further technological progress, the era of British and French air cushion train experimentation and passenger rail service in Alberta came to an end, thanks to competition from cars, planes, trucks, and buses as they all clamoured to be the most efficient and effective way to move people, goods, and experiences.

And now, nearly 90 years later, in honour of and homage to Alberta’s first high-speed train and the warm westerly winds that incite change and optimism, Chinook Propulsion Technologies is ready to transport us to the future on the revolutionary FlightTrain.

Canadian Pacific Railway "Chinook" train leaving Edmonton, AB (1940)

British Columbia Archives, C-08515

Canadian Pacific Railway "Chinook" train leaving Edmonton, AB (1940)

British Columbia Archives, C-08515

Driving Our Economy

Alberta’s receptive culture to building a thriving technology sector and the curiosity to redefine how industries move people, products, and freight will mean a stronger, more diversified and resilient economy. Our farmers, producers, manufacturers, and businesses will be able to reach global markets like never before.

Connecting CanadianS

Our scalable made-in-Alberta ground-breaking technology to bring high-speed rail infrastructure to life will fortify the connection between Alberta’s major urban centres, and bring an exportable solution to other identified high-speed rail corridors such as the Cascadia line to link Vancouver, Seattle and Portland or the California-High Dessert and Brightline corridor in the Pacific Northwest.

Low Carbon Future

Fuelled by sustainable low-carbon energy resources while leveraging our burgeoning hydrogen economy into our innovative technology system, FlightTrain will be contributing to a low-carbon future in ways this province has not seen.

Inspiring Innovation

Innovation breeds ingenuity, and building state-of-the-art infrastructure shows future generations that Alberta is where your dreams can come true.

FlightTrain Technology

reimagining what it means to speed

FlightTrain rides along air cushions with near-airplane speed, hovering above concrete guideways to reach revolutionary speeds. With no magnetic field, vacuum infrastructure, or conventional iron tracks, FlightTrain is redefining transportation infrastructure options. Our FlightTrain technology will:

Showcase our innovative Albertan prowess and expertise to the world.

Remove geographic barriers.

Change the way we think about transportation, accessibility, and supply chains.

FlightTrain’s proprietary technology doesn’t just mean moving people and products faster, either. We address traditional challenges associated with rail and high-speed travel:

Produces less noise than traditional railcar transportation

Eliminates energy loss through the integration of efficient technology

Less cost prohibitive, allowing for more routes and expansion

FlightTrain Testing

Behind the scenes, we’ve been working hard to bring our project to life. Our demonstrator and modular track system are in the testing phase, with early results validating the imminent launch of a truly incredible and revolutionary transportation system. This journey underscores our commitment to elevating the quality of life for all who engage with our unique, patented technology.