There is provided a vacuum volume reduction system having a volume reduction assembly of a fluid fill assembly coupled to a station wall of a vacuum tube vehicle station, to reduce a volume, under vacuum, in the vacuum tube vehicle station, when a vacuum transport tube vehicle is positioned in the volume at the vacuum tube vehicle station. The fluid fill assembly includes one or more containers, each containing a fluid, and fluid transport member(s), to transport the fluid from the container(s) to one or more enclosed volume portions formed between an exterior of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and an interior of the station wall. The fluid fill assembly further includes one or more fluid pump assemblies attached to the fluid transport member(s), and a control and power system. The vacuum volume reduction system further includes recessed area(s), a vent-to-vacuum assembly coupled to the recessed area(s), and seal elements.

A pallet for supportively carrying and transporting goods as a unit load in a stable efficient manner is disclosed. The pallet can be configured as a rigid or easily disassemblable compact collapsed structure. Interlocking frame members form an upper planar surface with one or more gap or void areas. A sheet of flexible material operatively secured to the frame is tautly stretched to overlie the void areas and forms a structural part of the upper planar surface to counteract downward load forces applied to the fabric over the pallet surface void areas. The sheet material preferably comprises woven polypropylene material.

A pallet for supportively carrying and transporting goods as a unit load in a stable efficient manner is disclosed. The pallet can be configured as a rigid or easily disassemblable compact collapsed structure. Interlocking frame members form an upper planar surface with one or more gap or void areas. A sheet of flexible material operatively secured to the frame is tautly stretched to overlie the void areas and forms a structural part of the upper planar surface to counteract downward load forces applied to the fabric over the pallet surface void areas. The sheet material preferably comprises woven polypropylene material.

A modular tube volume reduction assembly for use at a vacuum tube vehicle station is provided. The assembly includes a modular station vacuum tube having a tube volume and a plurality of cavities longitudinally formed around a circumference of the modular station vacuum tube, and a volume reduction assembly integrated with the modular station vacuum tube, where the volume reduction assembly includes a plurality of blocks longitudinally coupled to a cavity interior of each of the plurality of cavities. The assembly includes a control system coupled between the modular station vacuum tube and the blocks. The control system radially moves the blocks to and from a vehicle outer surface of a vacuum transport tube vehicle at the vacuum tube vehicle station. The assembly displaces the tube volume between a station wall and the vehicle outer surface, and reduces the volume to be evacuated at the vacuum tube vehicle station.

A modular tube volume reduction assembly for use at a vacuum tube vehicle station is provided. The assembly includes a modular station vacuum tube having a tube volume and a plurality of cavities longitudinally formed around a circumference of the modular station vacuum tube, and a volume reduction assembly integrated with the modular station vacuum tube, where the volume reduction assembly includes a plurality of blocks longitudinally coupled to a cavity interior of each of the plurality of cavities. The assembly includes a control system coupled between the modular station vacuum tube and the blocks. The control system radially moves the blocks to and from a vehicle outer surface of a vacuum transport tube vehicle at the vacuum tube vehicle station. The assembly displaces the tube volume between a station wall and the vehicle outer surface, and reduces the volume to be evacuated at the vacuum tube vehicle station.

A container for the transport and storage of goods includes an internal fillable tank and an external support structure surrounding the tank. The external support structure has a base structure arranged below the tank, such that a base of the tank is supported on the base structure. The external support structure also has an upper support structure arranged above the tank for absorbing loads exerted on the tank from above. The base structure includes a plurality of lower column portions, and the upper support structure includes a plurality of corresponding upper column portions, which each project from opposing faces of the base structure and the upper support structure respectively and which meet somewhere along the height of the tank, thereby forming a number of columns for laterally supporting the tank.

A container for the transport and storage of goods includes an internal fillable tank and an external support structure surrounding the tank. The external support structure has a base structure arranged below the tank, such that a base of the tank is supported on the base structure. The external support structure also has an upper support structure arranged above the tank for absorbing loads exerted on the tank from above. The base structure includes a plurality of lower column portions, and the upper support structure includes a plurality of corresponding upper column portions, which each project from opposing faces of the base structure and the upper support structure respectively and which meet somewhere along the height of the tank, thereby forming a number of columns for laterally supporting the tank.

A pallet for supportively carrying and transporting goods as a unit load in a stable efficient manner is disclosed. The pallet can be configured as a rigid or easily disassemblable compact collapsed structure. Interlocking frame members form an upper planar surface with one or more gap or void areas. A sheet of flexible material operatively secured to the frame is tautly stretched to overlie the void areas and forms a structural part of the upper planar surface to counteract downward load forces applied to the fabric over the pallet surface void areas. The sheet material preferably comprises woven polypropylene material.

A pallet for supportively carrying and transporting goods as a unit load in a stable efficient manner is disclosed. The pallet can be configured as a rigid or easily disassemblable compact collapsed structure. Interlocking frame members form an upper planar surface with one or more gap or void areas. A sheet of flexible material operatively secured to the frame is tautly stretched to overlie the void areas and forms a structural part of the upper planar surface to counteract downward load forces applied to the fabric over the pallet surface void areas. The sheet material preferably comprises woven polypropylene material.

A pallet for supportively carrying and transporting goods as a unit load in a stable efficient manner is disclosed. The pallet can be configured as a rigid or easily disassemblable compact collapsed structure. Interlocking frame members form an upper planar surface with one or more gap or void areas. A sheet of flexible material operatively secured to the frame is tautly stretched to overlie the void areas and forms a structural part of the upper planar surface to counteract downward load forces applied to the fabric over the pallet surface void areas. The sheet material preferably comprises woven polypropylene material.