Atmospheric Propulsion for High-Speed Inter-City Passenger Rail
In a time of increasing aviation and highway congestion - coupled with environmental concerns and the need to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels - it is essential to employ a high speed ground transportation system that moves large numbers of people, long distances, efficiently and cost effectively with minimal impact to the environment. An atmospheric propulsion system (APS) has the potential to meet the high-speed and environmental demands of inter-city passenger rail by using differential air pressure created by stationary power systems to move along an elevated guideway. The primary focus of the technology is the coupling of energy from a free piston within a large diameter pneumatic tube to the transportation unit mounted on steel rails above the tube. The technology does not depend on traction for propulsion and runs on electricity without using a catenary system. The absence of on-board fuel and traction motors makes it relatively light-weight. Due to stored energy capability in the power tube, rapid acceleration is accomplished without high energy spikes. The system is projected to operate at speeds in excess of 200 m.p.h. (322 km/h) and climb grades as steep as 10%. Pilot program testing to 1/6 scale has shown the system is capable of transporting people for high-speed inter-city travel with technology that is energy efficient and flexible enough to integrate into existing transportation corridors and varied terrain world-wide. This paper focuses on new technology developed by Flight Rail Corp. as an introduction to a modern APS.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC80 Alternative Transportation Fuels and Technologies
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Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
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Authors:
- Schlienger, Max P
- Reardan, John B
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Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC, United States
- Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
- Date: 2012
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Photos; References;
- Pagination: 14p
- Monograph Title: TRB 91st Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Elevated guideways; Environmental impacts; High speed ground transportation; High speed rail; High speed vehicles; Intercity transportation; Propulsion; Renewable energy sources; Scale models; Technological innovations
- Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01374340
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 12-0195
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Jun 28 2012 3:26PM