BEIJING — A Chinese city is testing what it calls the world’s first “smart train:” a tram that runs on virtual tracks. The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit train can carry up to 300 people in its three coaches, and can travel up...
http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2017/11/01-china-smart-train
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
This may make sense as a cost-effective alternative to an ordinary streetcar, where white markings are a lot cheaper than rail and roadbed and finished road surface to accomodate other traffic where a road or street exists. However. for a dedicated right-of-way, I donl't see any savings at all. Does anyone?
"SMART TRAIN"??
So everyone has been running stupid trains so far?
Iti is really a guided bus. The technology is not new. Las Vages actually had a test operation in service, but the time savings were not worth the maintenance expense. One European bus manufacturer, also featuring Magnet Motor, Presburg, Germany, wheel motors, (where the field is around the fixed axle, and the armature is inside the rim of the wheel, inside-out-motor popular with low-floor airiport-gate buses, some Alstom LRVs. Swiss trolleybuses, also from Stored Energy System, Derby, UK on their "Shop Cat" mover and prototype tram) has been pushing the idea for some time. Someone can remind me of the name of the bus manufacturer.
Does the smart train say, "Watch the Tram Car, Please."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9tAikhZU40
Kevin
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