Solar, Above-Ground Rail Transportation

Commercial, Solar, Elevated “IP Train” based on Amusement Park Track Engineering

A recent debate about building a massive new subway line in Philadelphia, PA USA has prompted me to publish this 2017 idea that’s been idling in a folder all this time. The idea below was originally conceived for freight only, not people, but it’s no less applicable to public transit… with only the energy supply being re-thought so there’s never any lulls in power.

• Modular
• Driverless
• Solar-powered from three sides of every car
• Solar power also derived from roof-covered sections of track
• Super-low friction rail and plastic wheel system from roller-coasters
• For slow-moving commercial freight, might be fully solar, with only emergency assist from roving troubleshooter locomotives
• For people-moving, would use hybrid solar-nonsolar to ensure 100% uptime
• Regenerative braking
• Large enough to ship automobiles… that would dictate and define the basic module size.
• Possibly large enough to move intermodal containers (if the solar system proves capable of such loads)
• Designed and produced nationally for economy of scale
• Modular, adjustable trestles for quick, low-tolerance construction that would facilitate inexpensive installation
• Located above existing rail right-of-ways where feasible