A transport system has a first set of substantially parallel rails supported above ground level by support structures, a trolley having wheels mounted to a frame with the wheels engaging the rails, at least one wheel powered to move the trolley along the set of rails, a portion of the frame depending between the rails to a level below the rails, and a downward-facing latching interface on the depending portion of the frame, and a pod enabled to carry a passenger or parcels, or both, engaged by an upward-facing latching interface to the downward-facing latching interface of the trolley, such that, as the trolley travels along the rail set, the pod is carried along below the rail set.

A transport system has a first set of substantially parallel rails supported above ground level by support structures, a trolley having wheels mounted to a frame with the wheels engaging the rails, at least one wheel powered to move the trolley along the set of rails, a portion of the frame depending between the rails to a level below the rails, and a downward-facing latching interface on the depending portion of the frame, and a pod enabled to carry a passenger or parcels, or both, engaged by an upward-facing latching interface to the downward-facing latching interface of the trolley, such that, as the trolley travels along the rail set, the pod is carried along below the rail set.

Provided is a collected current monitoring device. A transformer current acquisition unit acquires a current value I.sub.p of a current flowing through a part of a plurality of transformers. A total collected current calculation unit calculates a current value I.sub.all of a collected current supplied by a plurality of current collectors from the current value I.sub.p by using a following Equation (1): I.sub.all=I.sub.p(M.sub.all/M.sub.p). A collected current acquisition unit acquires a current value I.sub.X of a collected current supplied by the current collector(s) other than one current collector. The collected current calculation unit calculates a current value I.sub.Y of a collected current supplied by the one current collector by subtracting the current value I.sub.X from the current value I.sub.all.

Provided is a collected current monitoring device. A transformer current acquisition unit acquires a current value I.sub.p of a current flowing through a part of a plurality of transformers. A total collected current calculation unit calculates a current value I.sub.all of a collected current supplied by a plurality of current collectors from the current value I.sub.p by using a following Equation (1): I.sub.all=I.sub.p(M.sub.all/M.sub.p). A collected current acquisition unit acquires a current value I.sub.X of a collected current supplied by the current collector(s) other than one current collector. The collected current calculation unit calculates a current value I.sub.Y of a collected current supplied by the one current collector by subtracting the current value I.sub.X from the current value I.sub.all.

A power rail-support unit includes: a base portion that is integrally fixed on a track; a guide rail on which a guide wheel of a side portion of a vehicle travelling on the track abuts; a first fixing portion that is configured to fix the guide rail on the base portion; a second fixing portion that is connected to the guide rail so as to be independent of the first fixing portion; a bracket that is supported on the guide rail; and a power rail that is supported by the bracket so as to be arranged at a predetermined relative position relative to the guide rail, and that slides on and makes contact with a collector of the vehicle.

A power rail-support unit includes: a base portion that is integrally fixed on a track; a guide rail on which a guide wheel of a side portion of a vehicle travelling on the track abuts; a first fixing portion that is configured to fix the guide rail on the base portion; a second fixing portion that is connected to the guide rail so as to be independent of the first fixing portion; a bracket that is supported on the guide rail; and a power rail that is supported by the bracket so as to be arranged at a predetermined relative position relative to the guide rail, and that slides on and makes contact with a collector of the vehicle.

A conveying car comprises at least one support frame in which at least one driven conveying element is arranged, and a current collector for energizing drive means for driving the at least one conveying element and driving the conveying car; said conveying car is characterized in that same has its own power supply that is independent of the central power supply used for normal operation of the conveying car.

A current-collector arrangement for a vehicle, said arrangement includes a current collector with a contact shoe for collecting current from a conductor rail, wherein the current collector is connected to the vehicle in sprung fashion where, in order to create advantageous design conditions, the current collector and the vehicle should have arranged between them a carrier, which is connected to the vehicle via a first spring and a second spring and also a joint, and where the first spring and the second spring should each have at least one reserve spring-length region for extraordinary deflections of the current collector, and where absolute values of the extraordinary deflections exceed absolute values of ordinary deflections of the current collector such that a deflection of the current collector achieved in an extraordinary operating state is reversible and need not be restored manually.

A current-collector arrangement for a vehicle, said arrangement includes a current collector with a contact shoe for collecting current from a conductor rail, wherein the current collector is connected to the vehicle in sprung fashion where, in order to create advantageous design conditions, the current collector and the vehicle should have arranged between them a carrier, which is connected to the vehicle via a first spring and a second spring and also a joint, and where the first spring and the second spring should each have at least one reserve spring-length region for extraordinary deflections of the current collector, and where absolute values of the extraordinary deflections exceed absolute values of ordinary deflections of the current collector such that a deflection of the current collector achieved in an extraordinary operating state is reversible and need not be restored manually.

A three-rail power supply system includes a power supply having positive, negative, and neutral terminals, a rail system having a power supply end and a termination end, and an asymmetric resistor network. The rail system includes a positive rail, a negative rail, and a ground rail coupled to the positive terminal, the negative terminal, and the neutral terminal, respectively. The negative rail is disposed parallel to the positive rail. The ground rail is disposed in parallel to, and between, the positive rail and the negative rail, and is electrically grounded at a plurality of intervals between the power supply end and termination end. The asymmetric resistor network includes two pairs of resistors asymmetrically coupled to the rail system at the power supply end and termination end, and is configured to limit a fault current through a faulty connection in response the positive, negative, and/or ground rails experiencing the faulty connection.