MCALPINE BACK HANG-UP HOVERTRAIN

This article describes a new suspended hovertrain design known as the bliss pendair system. The vehicle is suspended from a precast concrete box beam track. Portal frames support the track. The problems of detecting obstacles on the track and the effect of snow and ice are minimized in the enclosed track. A suction air cushion generated by a fan is formed between the platform from which the vehicle is suspended and the adjacent inside track surfaces. The platform rotates about its longitudinal axis to form a pendulum suspension which allows for the negotiation of tight curves at speed. The project, backed by a civil engineering contractor, has led to the manufacture of arbitrarily curved beams in a flexible mould. A model of the pendair system and its design detail's are given. It is envisaged that the pendair system will provide rapid urban and suburban transport with a top speed of 100 km/hr although it would be suitable for 500 km/hr vehicles. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00107859
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Building and Contract Journals Limited

  32 Southwark Bridge Road
  London SE1 9EX,   England 
• Publication Date: 1974

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 32-33
• Serial:
  • CONTRACT JOURNAL
  • Volume: 259
  • Issue Number: 4942
  • Publisher: Reed Business Information, Limited
  • ISSN: 0010-7859

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Box girders; Concrete; Design; Mathematical models; Monorail transportation; Precast concrete; Railroad tracks; Railroad transportation; Rapid transit; Speed; Turning traffic
• Uncontrolled Terms: Enclosures; Models; Turning movements
• Old TRIS Terms: Air cushion; Concrete box girders; Suspended rail systems
• ITRD Terms: 1297: Air cushion vehicle; 3472: Beam; 1152: Future transport mode; 4792: Precast concrete; 744: Public transport; 5408: Speed
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00096032
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1981 12:00AM