IINM there have been some DMU operations where units could couple and uncouple on the fly. I seem to remember reading that Amtrak tested a set of Swedish built DMU's that could do this. OC, the maneuver required a second train operator...
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
I'm not aware anywhere of people boarding trains on the move, though some of the older contributors may possible remember continously moving lifts or paternasters where you had to jump on and off while the lift kept moving (there were no doors) and of course we get on and off moving escalators.
On the rail front the UK had what was know as slip coaches, where the rear two or maybe three coaches of a train were deliberately uncoupled on the move and then braked by a guard to a stop in a station. I think the last instance was at Didcot in Oxforsdshire in 1959. As far as I am aware safe, but it was beyond the ingenuity of man and machine to devise a system of getting two carriages to join a non-stop train.
Maglev CSSHEGEWISCH: wrote: "A drop with occupied coaches??? I don't think so." The practice of uncoupling occupied coaches while the train was moving was mentioned in Trains a few years ago, but I don't remeber what issue or article. I guess Trains doesn't have a computer search feature for back issues of the magazines, and I had no luck with Google. Can anyone substantiate my claim? I recall that there were never any accidents from this procedure...
CSSHEGEWISCH: wrote: "A drop with occupied coaches??? I don't think so."
The practice of uncoupling occupied coaches while the train was moving was mentioned in Trains a few years ago, but I don't remeber what issue or article. I guess Trains doesn't have a computer search feature for back issues of the magazines, and I had no luck with Google. Can anyone substantiate my claim?
I recall that there were never any accidents from this procedure...
I don't think any accidents ever resulted from the SD procedure - it wasn't used very long. But the potential was certainly there, since it necessarily resulted in two trains (or cars) operating very close to each other at speed after the separation. One can imagine what could have happened if the leading unit had to make a sudden stop while the separated trailing unit was still close behind.
The following story appeared in London the other day (1-27-9). The whole concept has been kicking around for about 100 years. Transport experts have been pondering it like it's a holy grail for nonstop service.
The Tube Train That Never Needs To Stop
Imagine a Tube where there is no gap to mind. A train that could whisk passengers direct from point of boarding to final destination without making calls at all the stations in between. Imagine a Tube where those getting off need never jostle with those getting on. Imagine a Tube that never stops. William Aitken of Windermere Road, Muswell Hill imagined and patented such a system 90 years ago. His concept envisages a continuously moving train, which jettisons and accumulates carriages, and thereby passengers, as it moves along the track. Londonist contributor Chris Coltrane stumbled across the zany concept a few months ago in a yellowing science magazine found in his attic. We've now tracked down (well, Googled) the patent and present here an alternative concept for 'Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the Like'. [...] (click to story link for illustration of concept) Adopting such a system would require epic changes to infrastructure and passenger behaviour but might prove more efficient if certain obstacles could be overcome. The carriages would have to be driverless, and passengers must be prepared to move along the train to reach the correct carriage.
Imagine a Tube where there is no gap to mind. A train that could whisk passengers direct from point of boarding to final destination without making calls at all the stations in between. Imagine a Tube where those getting off need never jostle with those getting on. Imagine a Tube that never stops.
William Aitken of Windermere Road, Muswell Hill imagined and patented such a system 90 years ago. His concept envisages a continuously moving train, which jettisons and accumulates carriages, and thereby passengers, as it moves along the track. Londonist contributor Chris Coltrane stumbled across the zany concept a few months ago in a yellowing science magazine found in his attic. We've now tracked down (well, Googled) the patent and present here an alternative concept for 'Improvements in Railway Train Systems, and the Like'. [...]
(click to story link for illustration of concept)
Adopting such a system would require epic changes to infrastructure and passenger behaviour but might prove more efficient if certain obstacles could be overcome. The carriages would have to be driverless, and passengers must be prepared to move along the train to reach the correct carriage.
With the advent of maglev maybe it's time has finally come.
There was actually a real 'never stop' railway at the Wembley Exhibition of 1925 - see http://www.britishpathe.com/thumbnails.php?id=16909 .
This is hardly a new idea. Fox Valley expresses on CA&E would split at Wheaton with one part going to Aurora and the other to Elgin, PRSL ran trains from Philadelphia to multiple destinations on the Jersey Shore which split at various locations, etc. In the immediate pre-Amtrak era, combined passenger trains with multiple destinations were not unusual, the consolidated "Cities" streamliners of UP being a prime example.
CSSHEGWISCH: I cannot imagine the FRA ever allowing drops on the fly. However your idea of different routes on the same train has much merit.Here is a generic example that could be modified at many locations:
NJ transit could extend tracks 1 - 4 (maybe 5 & 6) at NYP (I know here I go again on longer platforms)( I understand the real estate for lengthning eastward is available). Then a single train could go to Secaucus connection (maybe not stop platform length is not know) and Newark Penn Station (its platforms are very long) Then the first part could go one of the three routes (Long beach, Newark, Raritan) and the other part could go to another of these lines. Inbound trains could combine at Newark if a system to rapidly conduct a brake test is developed. This method would only reduce the Hudson river tunnels slightly as an extra 10 cars is only a block occupancy of 10 - 12 seconds. Ten long trains an hour would reduce capacity of about 2 trains an hour but with additional passenger capacity the result..
The biggest question of a method such as this is: Which costs more and takes more time? Lengthening platforms or building tunnels and extra parallel tracks. Actually in some cases a combination of the two methods would be least cost. Note: SCNF does this in France combining and splitting LOng distance trains at several locatiions.
The closest thing of which I can think would be the slip coaches used in the UK on express trains from London to the southwest. Instead of stopping at various stations, a slip coach would handle passengers for a given station. The coach would be uncoupled at speed and be brought to a stop by a brakeman using a hand brake.
TomDiehl Ideas are a dime a dozen. Now the person that can take an idea and figure the logistics to make it practical, now THAT'S rare.
Ideas are a dime a dozen. Now the person that can take an idea and figure the logistics to make it practical, now THAT'S rare.
...Not to mention the financing..
passengerfan How about using a giant slingshot on the platforms to shoot the passengers aboard, watch out for the one in the wheelchair as he may not be able to stop. Or maybe moving walkways on the platforms one for boarding and one for disembarking on opposite sides of course. Al - in - Stockton
How about using a giant slingshot on the platforms to shoot the passengers aboard, watch out for the one in the wheelchair as he may not be able to stop. Or maybe moving walkways on the platforms one for boarding and one for disembarking on opposite sides of course.
Al - in - Stockton
PS How often due you manage to book a non-stop flight anymore.
Look up "Adtranz Flexliner."
If GM "killed the electric car", what am I doing standing next to an EV-1, a half a block from the WSOR tracks?
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." Daniel Burnham
CSSHEGEWISCH Maglev Once upon a time; long, long ago, Americans were brave and innovative. Before electrification, steam locomotives were not allowed in Grand Central's trainsheds. So the locomotives were uncoupled while moving, run ahead onto a different track, and then the cars coasted into the station. A drop with occupied coaches??? I don't think so.
Maglev Once upon a time; long, long ago, Americans were brave and innovative. Before electrification, steam locomotives were not allowed in Grand Central's trainsheds. So the locomotives were uncoupled while moving, run ahead onto a different track, and then the cars coasted into the station.
Once upon a time; long, long ago, Americans were brave and innovative. Before electrification, steam locomotives were not allowed in Grand Central's trainsheds. So the locomotives were uncoupled while moving, run ahead onto a different track, and then the cars coasted into the station.
A drop with occupied coaches??? I don't think so.
The europeans are already looking into it.
A Nonstop Train Network.
I would imagine the train would have to slow some to make the whole concept work. Because the time and energy cost savings would be so substantial, I can't help but think the concept will be looked at further and maybe even developed. Probably not exactly as seen here, but refined inorder to make it practical.
Good first draft though.
Well it's an interesting animation. Not sure how realistic it would be - for the little top cars to get up to speed to match the train it would need a much longer space than shown in the animation, and the train would have to slow down to a crawl.
Imagine how cool, not to mention how incredibly time and fuel saving it would be, if passenger and/or commuter trains (hell, even freights) didn't have to stop at all the various stations on their routes? Well, from Taiwan comes a interesting and very energy efficient concept for... A train that doesn't stop.
Truly... nonstop service.
It's great to see so many from around the world thinking outside the box when it comes to 21st century train service.
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