9 wonders of the world in public transport that hit the world
Sometimes public transport can surprise so much that it’s hard for you to imagine …9 wonders of the world in public transport that hit the world
You look at the miracle of technology and do not understand how it works at all.
In the German town of Wuppertal runs the most futuristic tram in the world. The train length of 24 meters practically hovers in the air, without touching the ground. Fabulous, is not it.
Inverted tram Wuppertal
Back in 1901, the problem of public transport was acute in Wuppertal. It was not possible to lay the subway or put the train on the rails. The main obstacle was the relief and landscape. German engineers came to the rescue. They suggested using air as a useful space. A few months later the first monorail was installed in the town.
Every day, for more than 100 years, the Wuppertal tram “goes” on the route. At an altitude of 12 m above the river, a unique train travels 10 kilometers. Another 3 km of track entirely belong to urban landscapes at the level of 8 meters.
Every day, the “inverted tram” transports about 82 thousand passengers, including not only Wuppertal residents, but also curious tourists.
Transportation is considered one of the safest. For all the time of operation of the composition was recorded only two accidents. One of them is associated with an advertising campaign conducted by the city government.
The PR people placed an elephant in one of the cars to demonstrate the power of the structure. And that, take it, and fall out in the middle of the road. Fortunately, the elephant was not injured, and the action itself brought unprecedented fame to the creators.
Shanghai Maglev. Levitating train
Early morning. Shanghai. From the subway station Lunyan Lu, a seemingly unremarkable train leaves. And after seven minutes instead of the usual forty, he will be 30 kilometers from the point of departure, at the international airport at Pudong station.
One of a kind, unparalleled, high-speed commercial train was developed by the German company Transrapid. Despite the fact that the maglev can reach a speed of 431 km / h, passengers do not experience the slightest discomfort. It moves smoothly and silently.
Shanghai Maglev Train
The secret lies in the magnetic suspension, which actually replaced the standard railway bed. While driving, the train does not touch the surface of the rail. Carriage keeps magnetic levitation.
It is hoped that in the near future, such super-fast trains will appear in every major city. Indeed, magnetic trains can compete with air transport. And with all its manufacturability, the maglev consumes five times less energy than the plane, and three times less than the car.
Smart Taxi in Heathrow
Heathrow Airport in the UK is one of the largest and most loaded European transport hubs:
large passenger traffic, more than 75 million people per year;
5 terminals located at a considerable distance from each other;
lack of labor in public transport.
All of the above factors contributed to the fact that in 2011, Personal Rapid Transport was introduced. The car received a loud name «ULTra».
Smart Taxi in Heathrow
Taxi fleet consists exclusively of electric vehicles. Plays such transport without a driver on special routes.
Personal Rapid Transport
Every 30 seconds, one free ULTra arrives at the airport terminal to pick up the next passengers. The cabin can fit four people with a small luggage. After landing on the monitor navigator must choose a route. And payment is made by plastic card.
French “tram on tires”
In 2000, the company Bombardier gave the world a “tram on tires”. Ride on such an unusual transport can be in the French city of Nancy. This type of public transport is a hybrid of a regular trolley bus and tram with a guide rail.
French “tram on tires”
Conventional trolleybus and tram hybrid with guide rail
All ingenious is simple. The vehicle has three compartments. Under the first section there are two axes, under the second and third one more along the same axis. In the center of each of them is a wheel, responsible for driving on asphalted sections of the road. As a result, the tram “can” ride on the road and along the rail.
Metro funicular “Carmelit”
If the mountain can not be demolished, and I really want to lay the subway, then you should contact the Israeli engineers. Oh, they understand the “mining”.
Metro funicular “Carmelit”
In the Israeli city of Haifa in Mount Carmel is the only independent metro line “Carmelite”, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The line consists of a single track 2 km long. The height difference between the lower and upper levels is 30 meters. The trains operate according to the funicular principle, that is, lifting cables are the operating force.
