A COST COMPARISON OF THREE TRACKED AIR CUSHION VEHICLE CONFIGURATIONS

A comparison is made of three different types of Tracked Air Cushion Vehicle systems, using box, inverted-tee and channel cross section tracks. Each system is adapted from previously published schemes to meet a common specification, which required 100 passenger, electrically powered, vehicles operating at 250 mph on an elevated guideway. The comparison is divided into sections; guideway assessment; vehicle design and performance; total system performance; and an essay on the T.H.L. concept of single-sided linear induction motors. Vehicle power requirements are based on a simple form of peripheral jet air-cushion suspension system which can be expected to be improved upon. Even with this assumption it is shown the box track system would have the lowest total annual cost to an operator, due to the substantially lower costs of the box guideway compared to either of the alternatives. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Tracked Hovercraft Limited

  London,   England 
• Publication Date: 1970-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 370 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Alternatives analysis; Costs; Design; Guideways; Induction motors; Passenger trains; Passenger vehicles; Performance; Tracked air cushion vehicles; Tracked vehicles
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Design; Finance; Railroads; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00039216
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-9-0032
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 24 1972 12:00AM