PALLATED AUTOMATED TRANSPORTATION - A VIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

The palleted automated transportation (pat) system and its variations, under study and development at mit, have come from a simple transportation control-and-propulsion technology; the combination of rack-and-pinion (and screw-propulsion) drive with synchronous electric motors. When this technology is allied with the technique of using off-line stations (and associated acceleration and deceleration maneuvers), a large vehicle flow can be achieved even at moderate main-line speeds. There is, therefore, an incentive towards using smaller rather than larger vehicles, giving passengers the capability of more individual routing. Virtually fully automated handling of passengers and of freight leads to the capability of a pricing structure encouraging freight movement at low-demand times. This would greatly reduce the pressure on city streets. The technology has, in studies, been applied to long-distance people-plus-freight systems and to pipelines limited to carrying dry solids. This paper reviews the technology and the apparent advantages and disadvantages of the pat system, and makes recommendations for future work.(a)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03861112
• Corporate Authors:

  International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences

  6-20, Yaesu 2-chome, Chuo-ku
  Tokyo 104-0028,   Japan 
• Authors:
  • Wilson, D G
• Publication Date: 1989

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 53-60
• Serial:
  • IATSS Research
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences
  • ISSN: 0386-1112

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric vehicles; Public transit; Railroad transportation; Rapid transit; Urban areas; Vehicle capacity
• ITRD Terms: 1251: Capacity (veh); 1282: Electric vehicle; 744: Public transport; 1173: Rail bound transport; 1181: Rapid transit system; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Energy; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00498933
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1990 12:00AM