CABTRACK STUDIES. CAB LAYOUT AND GUIDANCE

The principles which determine the mechanical layout of Cabtrack vehicles are described. General design requirements are stated and the potentialities of novel solutions are examined. These include vehicle support without the use of wheels; air cushions, magnetic repulsion and alternative vehicle/track configurations (suspended cabs, sidemounted cabs). The problem of switching closely spaced vehicles at junctions is shown to be a major criterion in assessing the practicability of these many possibilities. The more novel methods are shown to have considerable drawbacks, and, at these relatively low speeds, appear to have no overall advantages. Alternative layouts using relatively conventional ideas are described, and the results of preliminary dynamic studies on these designs are presented. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Royal Aircraft Establishment

  Farnborough,   England 
• Authors:
  • Eley, M K
  • Joyce, B C
  • Longrigg, J C
  • Williams, J D
• Publication Date: 1972-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 121 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Control devices; Force; Intelligent transportation systems; Magnetic levitation; Passengers; Personal rapid transit; Safety; Suspension systems; Tracked air cushion vehicles; Urban transportation; Vehicle design; Wheels
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced systems; Cabtrack system; Control stability; Servocontrol; Vehicular tracks
• Subject Areas: Design; Operations and Traffic Management; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00090904
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: RAE-TR-72047
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 26 1975 12:00AM