CUTTING-EDGE PROMOTERS
This section describes companies and individuals who take on the challenges of new technology for the 21st century. They work in the realm of “unproven” commercial products. Unlike the Suppliers, such as Doppelmayr with its decades of Alpine experience and several APM installations, cutting-edge promoters by definition do not. Instead they have ideas, designs, patents, mock-ups. If they are more advanced, they may have scale models or a full-scale test track and sophisticated control and simulation software too. They should all have a business plan and investor relations.
In the 1970s, APMs in general were unproven. Four decades of trial and error and accumulating experience have produced a reliable supply industry of automated, fully driverless transit. Yet there are scores of others pushing forward the technology envelope. Some are specialized in a specific innovative propulsion (such as maglev or pneumatics or vehicle batteries and robotics). Others focus on PRT or dual-mode configurations. For them the cutting edge is real-time scheduling of non-stop trips over an entire network.
The 1970s started with an aggressive government effort in urban guideway technology development, in large part inspired by the stunning growth of commercial aviation and space travel. If we can move three men 240,000 miles to the moon, we can move 240,000 people three miles on earth symbolized this optimism for ground transport. Setbacks dampened this technological push for urban transit.
In 1976, US transit policy became regressive: if others haven’t already done it, don’t even think of modal innovation.
Guideway embellishments may help the promotion of innovative insertions into urban districts.- courtesy of Interstate Traveler
Despite huge subsidies, conventional transit continues to lose market share. Only one American in twenty commutes by transit, and it’s declining. General mobility is even more car oriented. Superior mobility is needed, and the companies and individuals profiled below pursue innovation for the sake of superior mobility.
Innovation entails risk, which can be calculated and mitigated. However if you have no stomach for risk, you should go to the section on APMs & the Supply of APMs.
Below are some twenty APM technology promoters in three sections: PRT, dual-mode and other.
Progress is not only possible, but also profitable. The commercial efforts by the following companies and groupings are based on an optimism and faith in a new round of technology that is revolutionary in its nature. They foresee significant growth over the next decade amid growing concerns about climate change and peaked oil production.
Tomorrow isn’t yesterday. Many young urban professionals in Boston, DC, San Francisco, Denver and a growing number of auto-restrained oases are opting out of car ownership. They happily walk and bike in dense neighborhoods of three-deckers and apartments, often joining a carsharing coop or zipcar to mini-rent a car when needed.
While thinking through the densities and parking supply of your projects, you may discover significant savings with advanced mobility systems.
PRT delivers mobility right to your lobby.
PRT
BeamwaysBeamways
Bengt Gustafsson
Linkchoping, Sweden
Phone: +46-13 465-1085
Email:bengt.gustafsson@beamways.com
Web: www.beamways.com
Salient Features: PRT configuration. Highly energy efficient. Normally double direction guideway. Slender guideway. Suspended system. Low guideway cost. Handles dense city settings. Weather proof.
Status: Beamways is a new company currently in the early design phases, for instance guideway structural integrity analysis. Work is also being performed in order to apply for patents for some unique ideas. Thus it is not possible to disclose all details at this time.
Urban Design Parameters
Guideway Envelope – 750mm high, 500mm wide.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Estimated at 500mm diameter.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 25 meters.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns – Longer spans are possible using suspension bridge methods, as the double-track guideway easily lends itself to this. Cost has not been elaborated but should not be significant.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – Radius can be kept tight as the cars bank in curves. Minimum radius at low speed is 3 meters. Tracks themselves are not super-elevated (twisted) in curves.
Maximum Recommended Slope – 40 percent. The cars tilt back and forth in steep slopes to keep the floor level. This allows for at-grade stations if there is 10 meter available for ramps.
Minimum Station Footprint – A station at the guideway level will have to have acceleration and deceleration ramps. The length of these depends on the traffic intensity on the main line. At a low intensity cars can start to decelerate on the main line which shortens the ramps. Beamways can save up to 50 percent on the ramp lengths by using the tilt function of the cars, at a given traffic intensity. This reduces the cost of stations and crossings significantly.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – This has not been calculated, but thanks to the drive wheels being enclosed in the guideway the sound level should be very low.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – The vibrations will be kept well below the ISO standard levels for causing nausea in passengers.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - The only problem with entering buildings is that the upper side of the guideway is almost 3 meters above floor level. There are no problems with noise, vibration or emissions. Our belief is that the type of buildings where stations are of interest will have at least 3 meters of ceiling clearance.
Fastransit
Andrew Hayes
1 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020
Phone: +1 212-715-0262
Email:ahayes@fastransitinc.com
Salient Features: New repulsive maglev technology with electronic switching.
Status: Prototype vehicle and table-top model. Proposal for installation in a large garage in New York City.
JPODs
Bill James
5255 Stevens Creek Blvd, Suite 137
Santa Clara, CA 95051, USA
Phone: +1 (612) 414-4211
Email:bill.james@jpods.com
Web: www.jpods.com
Salient Features: Suspended-vehicle PRT concept.
Status: Prototypes only, seeking funds for a demonstration project.
Mist-ER SP.
Ollie Mikosza
Ul. Tatrzanska 97-B
34-520 Poronin, Poland
Phone: +48-505-051-339
Email: olmiko@wp.pl
Website: www.mist-er.com
Salient Features:A capability to expand the lines infrastructure, by adding stops, new lines and intersections, without modifying or touching any existing parts of the lines infrastructure. This capability is possible thanks to patented contact-less static switch (frog).
Status: A working 1:1 scale prototype, demonstrating operation of the vehicle and a contact-less static switch. Preparations are under way to start building of the first commercial trial system in Opole, Poland in mid 2008.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope – 1.7m wide, a minimum .555m high plus variable height additional structure options.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Single-lane – 76cm diameter concrete; Dual-lane – 106.6cm diameter concrete.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 27.4 meters.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns –54.9 meters at 3x cost penalty.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – at 40 km/hr - 50 meters without super-elevation; 34 meters with super-elevation. At 80 km/hr - 200 meters without super-elevation; 136 meters with super-elevation.
Maximum Recommended Slope – 10 percent.
Minimum Station Footprint – One-Way Station - 6.7 meters x 10.4 meters for 3-berths; Two-Way Station - N/A.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – Unknown at this point, but will be very low.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – Design target is “Lexus equivalent” ride comfort.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - Easily attached to buildings. Can penetrate buildings with 2.4-meter ceiling height.
PRT Minnesota Inc.
Joe Lampe
11330 86th Ave N
Maple Grove MN 55369, USA
Phone: +1 (612) 247-6685
Email: info@prt-mn.com
Salient Features: PRT system optimized for suburban mixed-use environments. One to three adult passengers, 499 kilogram empty weight, 340 kilogram payload. A very small, lightweight vehicle, with an unobtrusive guideway and architecturally innovative station designs.
Status: At conceptual design iteration stage. Chassis and guideway mockup.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope – 1.7m wide, a minimum .555m high plus variable height additional structure options.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Single-lane – 76cm diameter concrete; Dual-lane – 106.6cm diameter concrete.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 27.4 meters.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns –54.9 meters at 3x cost penalty.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – at 40 km/hr - 50 meters without super-elevation; 34 meters with super-elevation. At 80 km/hr - 200 meters without super-elevation; 136 meters with super-elevation.
Maximum Recommended Slope – 10 percent.
Minimum Station Footprint – One-Way Station - 6.7 meters x 10.4 meters for 3-berths; Two-Way Station - N/A.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – Unknown at this point, but will be very low.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – Design target is “Lexus equivalent” ride comfort.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - Easily attached to buildings. Can penetrate buildings with 2.4-meter ceiling height.
Self-Transit Systems
William Alden, President
46 Fox Run Lane
East Falmouth, MA 02536, USA
Phone: +1 (508) 540-2899
Email: wla07@comcast.net
Salient Features: Robotic vehicles guided over a virtual guideway.
Status: Conceptual. Mockup.
Skycab
Christopher Perkins, VP
Narvavagen 21
S-114 60 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: +46-8661-0575
Email: ake.aredal@skycab.se
Website: www.skycab.se
Salient Features: Classic PRT with suspended vehicles from a networked individual who remains aloof from the larger PRT community.
Status: Prototype sections have been built, and autonomous vehicles have run at an indoor testing and "integration facility in Hofors, Sweden.
Skycabs
Hugh Chapman, Managing Director
PO Box 9823
Auckland 1031, New Zealand
Phone: +64-9527-0527
Email: info@skycabs.co.nz
Website: www.skycabs.co.nz
Salient Features: SkyCabs patented elevated two-way monobeam passenger transport system forms an unobtrusive, less costly structure. Frequent, light, 8-seater cabs provide automated 'on-demand' service, halving travel time and equaling four-lane motorway capacity above the footpaths of arterial roads.
Status: Currently pricing initial demonstration/first operating line with three stations. Control system being detailed ready for programming. Selection of major contractors proceeding. Details/agreements for use of station land initiated.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope – Horizontal supporting structure envelope: 1.0m x 0.8m includes beam and tracks (Two-way); Including vehicles: For two-way system: 4.6m wide x 4.1m clear vertical height required on straight track. 5.3m height to allow passage of optional maintenance vehicle un-staffed, 5.7m min for carrying staff; Ruling gauge: 5.14m wide at bends.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation –Single 1.5m diameter planter box for two-way line.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 30 meters.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns – Any span can be done. Increasing beam size does not affect tracks. Greater spans are determined by track and visual/aesthetic requirements and standard beam column costings.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – At 40 km/hr - 27m; At 80 km/hr - 102m, all seated.
Maximum Recommended Slope – 1 in 5 slope.
Minimum Station Footprint – Depends on expected station volume of passengers; Maximum normal line station serving two-way line able to take full line capacity when or if required; 50m x 16m. End of line single-sided station able to take full line capacity; 50m x 11.2m. Small stations not able to handle full line capacity and therefore not recommended; 35m x 9m single sided/or one-way line. 35m x 16m two-way line.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – At 10 meters distance - approximately 37-40dB; at 25 meters - approximately 31-33dB; at 50 meters - approximately 22-24dB.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – The NVH is expected to be similar to that of a premium brand automobile or better since suspension displacements will be smaller.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - Easily done when designed into building floors; Penetration of building requires minimum 4m clear height x 4.6m width for two way track and structure.
Skytran
Christopher Perkins, VP
179 Via Colinas
Westlake Village, CA 91362, USA
Phone: +1 (805) 374-8454
Email: christopherhperkins@yahoo.com
Website: www.unimodal.com
Salient Features: Small 2-passenger suspended vehicles that operate at high speeds. Line capacity is calculated to be 14,400 pphpd.
Status: Proof-of-concept testing facility at NASA-Ames in Silicon Valley based in part on a Federally funded research at the University of Montana.
Urban Design Parameters: No data supplied.
For general, non-commercial information on dual-mode technologies, there is a network of researchers at U.S. institutes and laboratories. The main contact is Ted Fox, who can be reached at (865) 574-7065 or foxee@ornl.gov.
Dual-Mode
Private vehicles are driven or electronically guided on streets and can access guideways or special highway lanes that control movement and provide electric power for them.
Carbus
David Petrie
811 S. 273rd Court
Des Moines, WA 08198, USA
Phone: +1 (253) 946-6619
Email: davepetrie@comcast.net
Salient Features: Maintains the convenience and privacy of the personal car, best suited to EV microcar because 2.5 meter length (e.g. SMART), allows lateral orientation in transport (~32 units in double-deck). Adds up to 20-lanes capacity each way using a single dedicated lane.
Status: Concept only. Technology is well proven, including maglev (Japanese HSST- 200).
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope - A standard 12 foot lane; generally the HOV lane dedicated to Car Bus, and automated high-performance trucks.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Not applicable.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – Not applicable.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns – Not applicable.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – Not applicable.
Maximum Recommended Slope – 10 percent.
Minimum Station Footprint – 61 meters by 91 meters to accommodate staging ramps and stations above the freeway every 10km.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – In maglev version, sound at 200 kilometers.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – In rubber-tired version, similar to Greyhound bus. In maglev version, vibration is limited to acceleration/deceleration at stations.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - Not applicable.
Car-Shuttle
Ed Cowan
270 Cagney Lane, Suite 311
Newport Beach CA 92663, USA
Phone: +1 (949) 689-6314
Email: edwinjack@sbcglobal.net
Website: www.dynamictrafficsolutions.org
Salient Features: Street vehicles enter "trams" that run in highway Diamond Lanes with catenaries for power.
Status: Non-profit corporation with a dual-mode system concept. No test track.
RUF International
Palle R Jensen, Head of Development
Forhaabningsholms Alle 30
1904, Frb. C., Denmark
Phone: +45-3324-7033
Email: Prj@RUF.dk
Website: www.RUF.dk
Salient Features: Dual-mode, individual and collective. Vehicles move on guideways with one third of the energy as those driven on highways.
Status: Tested, but still under development. Mockups and prototypes.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope - Width = 85cm, Height = 58 cm.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Less than 1 x 1m.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 20m.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – 26m on guideway, less than 15m on roads.
Maximum Recommended Slope – Up to 20 percent.
Speedways
Christian Foerg
Lumod Industrial Design
Postfach 330625
80066 Munich, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 8963- 0666
Email: foerg@lumod.com
Salient Features: Small-motor electric cars that recharge and move over in-highway LIMs.
Status: Conceptual design
Tritrack
Jerry Roane
101 S. Laurelwood
Austin, TX 78733, USA
Phone: +1 (512) 263-5344
Email: jroane@tritrack.net
Website: www.tritrack.net
Salient Features: TriTrack dual mode all electric car; solves traffic congestion; fast at 290 km/hr (180 mph) city and country; privately owned; low pollution; efficient - over 160 km/g; personal freedom of travel choices.
Status: Second prototype being constructed. Investors have been found. No test facility yet.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope – 36.8cm wide by 31cm high, triangular extruded aluminum beam.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – Single-lane – 43cm diameter bored hole backfilled with concrete holding a 32.3cm diameter steel pipe. Dual lane uses two such guideways to eliminate torque on piers.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – 18.3 meter spans.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns – Conventional bridge structures can hold up the guideway with 18.3 meter spans onto the bridge.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – Cars only travel one speed of 290 km/hr so radius of the guideway is generally straight or a 6.44km radius at speed.
Maximum Recommended Slope – The guideway can go vertical with potential energy recycled directly back into the power grid via linear generators.
Minimum Station Footprint – No stations. There is a merge zone that looks much like a small parking lot area where the computer takes over driving and merges the cars with each other onto guideways.
Noise Level (decibels) of a Vehicle Passing – Silent.
Level of vibration at 40 and 80 km/hr – No vibration with the forth patent application describing the powered suspension mechanism.
Ease in Which Guideways Can Attach to Building Walls and Penetrate Through - Easily. The cars are very light so any building structure can support the 912-kilogram load. The opening in the wall is about 2 meters wide by 1.4 meters high.
This test vehicle streams on magnetic forces along a short track in northeast Georgia. Will American Maglev find a market niche?
Maglev & Other Exotic E/M
The following companies are open or amenable to higher-order software that is the basis of PRT and dual-mode concepts. Their primary focus, however, is on a special design for propulsion and control.
AMT (American Maglev)
Tony J. Morris, President
30 South Park Square, Suite 201
Marietta, GA 30060, USA
Phone: +1 (770) 428-8792
Email: info@american-maglev.com
Website: www.american-maglev.com
Salient Features: American Maglev Technology, Inc. ("AMT") designs and deploys short-haul and midrange regional transportation systems using magnetic levitation. Lightweight, aerospace-like vehicles. Propulsion has no moving parts over a half-inch magnetic field.
Status: American Maglev is actively perusing several projects throughout the world. AMT is targeting four projects in particular: Los Angeles, CA; Fort Belvoir, VA; Orlando, FL and Abu Dhabi, UAE. There were troubles at a test facility at Old Dominion University (Norfolk). This promoter doesn't think in metric units.
Urban Design Parameters:
Guideway Envelope - For a dual guideway system, an envelope of 9 meters is required.
Typical Footprint Requirement for a Guideway Column Foundation – A 1.5 meter diameter column is required for a dual guideway system.
Recommended Spacing Between Columns – Columns are spaced on 27 meter centers.
Maximum Spacing Between Columns – Columns are preferred to be place on 27 meter centers due to economic reasons.
Minimum Radius of Curvature – For passenger comfort, gradients are limited to 3 percent and vertical curves to a minimum radius of 3,048 meters.
Maximum Recommended Slope – see above.
Minimum Station Footprint – AMT is very flexible when it comes to designing stations. We believe that we can work with the customer to meet any station requirements that they might have.
JR Tokai
Japan Railways - no information available
Hyundai - see Rotem
IAT
Dieter Schramek
Email: schramek@iat-team.com
Website: www.skycabs.co.nz
Salient Features: The Innovative Access Team has further developed Germany's TransRapid maglev and incorporated solar energy.
Status: Conceptual.
Magnaforce
Karl J. Lamb
2602 W. 18th Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362, USA
Phone: +1 (360) 457-9428
Email: jo@levx.com
Website: www.magna-force.com
Salient Features: Maglev concept that focuses on cargo transport, as well as passengers.
Status: Several full-scale prototypes. License agreement for contractor for military applications.
Magnemotion
Todd Webber
20 Sudbury Road
Acton, MA 01720
Phone: +1 (978) 757-9100
Email: twebber@magnemotion.com
Salient Features: SFocus on linear synchronous motors (LSM) for APMs, elevators, freight conveyances, etc.
Status: Work in the defense and cargo sectors.
Rotem Maglev
Hyundai Motor Group Building
8-12F, 231, Yangjae-Dong
Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-938, Korea
Phone: +82-2-3464-1114
Email: peter@rotem.co.kr
Website: www.rotem.co.kr
Salient Features: Maglev development from Hyundai now affiliated with Rotem, a large supplier of rail locomotives and cars, military tanks, and plant engineering that is not part of Hyundai
Status: Test track.