A bridging module provides sealable interconnection between segments of an evacuated tube transportation system. A pair of gate elements are horizontally transitioned by a drive mechanism from a stored configuration offset from the tube segments to a deployed configuration where an expanding mechanism presses them outward to seal portals to the tube segments. The module can thereby be vented while the tube segments retain vacuum. A rail carriage in the module can bridge between overhead capsule support rails of the tube segments. A lifting mechanism can lift the rail carriage into a rail carriage section above the portals to allow the gate elements to deploy. The gate elements can be supported by rails and/or linear bearings, and pressed outward by opposed pneumatic pistons located between them, e.g. proximal to the four corners of the gate elements. The drive mechanism can include a motor with rack and pinion.

A rail vehicle includes a roof structure that configures an upper face, a side structure that configures a side face, a gable end structure that configures an end face in a longitudinal direction, and an underframe that configures a lower face. The underframe is configured from a hollow shaped member formed from two face plates and a rib that connects the face plates to each other. The hollow member that configures the underframe includes a first upper side face plate arranged at a central portion in a widthwise direction of the underframe, a first lower side face plate arranged at the central portion in the widthwise direction of the underframe, a second upper side face plate arranged at an end portion in the widthwise direction of the underframe and positioned below the first upper side plate, a second lower side face plate arranged at the end portion in the widthwise direction of the underframe and positioned below the first lower side face plate, a third upper side face plate that connects the first upper side plate and the second upper side plate to each other, and a third lower side face plate that connects the first lower side face plate and the second lower side face plate to each other. A space is provided below the first lower side face plate, and a closing plate that connects adjacent end portions of a pair of the second lower side face plates to each other is arranged in the space.

Various embodiments provide a vehicle wheel chock hanger for holding different vehicle wheel chocks of different vehicle restraint systems. Various embodiments provide a vehicle wheel chock hanger for vehicle restraint systems for a vehicle such as an auto-rack railroad car that is configured to hold various different chocks that are configured to secure vehicles in that vehicle.

A first locomotive that includes a control unit is disclosed. The control unit may receive a power demand, determine a first power limit of the first locomotive, and receive a second power limit of a second locomotive and a third power limit of a third locomotive. The control unit may proportion the power demand into a first power allocation for the first locomotive, a second power allocation for the second locomotive, and a third power allocation for the third locomotive. The control unit may adjust the first power allocation based on the first power limit, adjust the second power allocation based on the second power limit, and adjust the third power allocation based on the third power limit. The control unit may cause an action to be performed in connection with the first power allocation, the second power allocation, and the third power allocation.

A rail-mounted rail processing machine has at least one traction motor and with at least one working unit for processing tracks, a permanent energy source, an electrical energy storage and a current collector. The components are connected to a common direct current network via power converters. In order to create a rail-mounted rail processing machine that allows low-maintenance and environmentally friendly operation of working aggregates with strongly varying peak loads without having to accept losses in the processing quality, the permanent energy source is a fuel cell which feeds at least one base load of the working unit into the direct current network via one of the power converters. To cover peak loads of at least the working unit, buffer energy of the electrical energy storage acting as a buffer store is feedable into the direct current network via an associated one of the power converters.

A tube section for constructing a tube for underpressure applications with an incircle having a diameter of at least 2 m and to an evacuated tube transport system tube produced therefrom.

A system is described comprising a first compressor for generating compressed air to feed a main tank and a main brake pipe of the railway vehicle through an air drying unit and a second compressor for compressing a refrigerant gas for an air conditioning system. The system comprises a single electric motor for generating a mechanical torque to be selectively supplied to the first compressor, or to the second compressor, or simultaneously to the first and second compressors, as a function of a) a first electrical signal generated by a pressure measurement device and indicative of a pressure present in the main brake pipe, or in the main tank, and b) at least a second electrical signal coming from the air conditioning system and indicative of a temperature or pressure or humidity value, and at least a third electrical signal indicative of a temperature of an environment.

A door system for a vacuum train includes at least one vehicle with at least one vehicle door and a track including at least one evacuated pipe that guides and propels elements within the pipe. The track includes at least one station outside of the pipe with at least one station door arranged within the wall of the pipe to selectively close and open the station towards the pipe. The vehicle door and the station door being arranged in a corresponding position when the vehicle is at rest, so that persons can leave or enter the vehicle when the vehicle door and the station doors are open at the rest position. The door system comprises at least one inflatable ring shaped seal (22) which surrounds both doors when the doors are in their corresponding position and which seals in its inflated position both doors against the vacuum within the pipes.

A hybrid cable/rail transportation system comprising: at least one portion of the system configured as a cable transportation system; at least one portion of the system configured as a rail transportation system, a first trolley coupled to the supporting cable and comprising a first coupling device for coupling to the cabin; a second trolley coupled to the rail and comprising a second coupling device for coupling to the cabin; a plurality of transportation units wherein each transportation unit comprises a cabin, each cabin comprising a roof provided with a coupling system configured for coupling the cabin to the first trolley along the system portion configured as a cable transportation system and to the second trolley along the system portion configured as a rail transportation system; wherein the coupling system arranged on the roof of the cabin, the first coupling device of the first trolley and the second coupling device of the second trolley are configured for allowing a progressive passage of the cabin from the first to the second trolley, or vice-versa, without stopping the support.

The solar personal rapid transit (PRT) system is configured to provide a transportation system with higher material, energy, environmental, and economic sustainability. The solar PRT system includes autonomous vehicles or “pods” that travel on a rail guideway above the pods. The pods are configured for moving people and objects from one location to another along the rail guideway. Each pod is coupled to a drive unit via a hanger for moving the pods through the guideway. The drive unit includes wheels with flanges proximate to the outside edges of the guideway rails. A combination of tongue tracks and a switch blade is used to route the pods onto different tracks. A pre-tension frame supports each section of the guideway and includes a smart cushion that changes the length of the section based on environmental temperature. The smart cushion is further used with a BIPV module for a roof.