A SOLUTION TO URBAN TRANSPORT PROBLEMS?

The article describes the design and operation of a minitram system constructed as part of a feasibility and project-definition study by easams ltd. The vehicle was designed using railway practice utilising steel wheels on steel rails giving an estimated basic noise level of less than 70 dba compared with a range of 65 to 90 dba for A comparable rubber-tyred vehicle. A central three-computer control system has been developed. Two paralleled computers carry out functions effecting the safety of the system providing a cross check on each other, the third computer carries out the scheduling of vehicles. The minitram system is shown to be capable of economic operation in urban and rural areas, offering a much improved public transport service. At peak hours a single line can carry up to 20000 passengers per hour using a three-train set, each vehicle carrying 24 passengers, the interval between successive trains falling as low as 12 seconds. Employing a high degree of automation the service can be made to operate continuously, a form of on-demand system would take over during the very quiet hours. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Thomson Publications South Africa Proprietary Ltd

  P.O. Box 8308
  2000 Johannesburg,   South Africa 
• Authors:
  • HOWARD, M G
• Publication Date: 1975-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: p. 6-9
• Serial:
  • Public Works, Construction and Transport

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automated vehicle control; Automation; Digital computers; Future; Information processing; Innovation; Level of service; Public transit; Safety; Sound level; Timetables; Transportation modes; Urban areas; Urban transportation; Vehicle capacity; Vehicle safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Future concepts; Minivehicle systems; Vehicular safety
• ITRD Terms: 8673: Digital computer; 653: Level of service; 744: Public transport; 1665: Safety; 6747: Sound level; 1186: Timetable; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00138857
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 26 1981 12:00AM