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.

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.

A cleaning system includes a cleaning vehicle that cleans a predetermined travel route, and a control device. The cleaning vehicle includes a state detection device that detects a state of the travel route, and has a cleaning mode in which the cleaning is performed and a non-cleaning mode in which the cleaning is not performed. The control device executes inspection control for causing the state detection device to detect a state of a pre-set inspection region along the travel route while causing the cleaning vehicle to travel in the non-cleaning mode, specification control for specifying a cleaning required region, where the cleaning needs to be performed in the travel route, based on the state of the inspection region detected in the inspection control, and cleaning control for causing the cleaning vehicle to travel in the cleaning mode in the cleaning required region after the above-mentioned controls end.

A cleaning system includes a cleaning vehicle that cleans a predetermined travel route, a maintenance facility provided at a specified position on the travel route and performs maintenance on the cleaning vehicle, and a control device that controls them. The control device executes interruption and maintenance control in response to a state of the cleaning vehicle satisfying a predetermined maintenance condition during execution of the cleaning by the cleaning vehicle. The interruption and maintenance control includes first control for interrupting the cleaning performed by the cleaning vehicle, causing the cleaning vehicle to move to the specified position, and causing the maintenance facility to perform the maintenance on the cleaning vehicle, and second control for causing, after the first control, the cleaning vehicle to move to an interruption position at which the cleaning was interrupted, and causing the cleaning vehicle to resume the cleaning from the interruption position.

A drive unit for a self-driving vehicle of an elevated-track-type support structure. The drive unit has at least one electric motor for moving the drive unit along the support structure, the at least one electric motor being able to be at least indirectly driven indirectly with the aid of a first energy supply, and the first energy supply having at least one contact element, which is developed to interact with an electrical conductor immovably situated on the support structure.

A drive unit for a self-driving vehicle of an elevated-track-type support structure. The drive unit has at least one electric motor for moving the drive unit along the support structure, the at least one electric motor being able to be at least indirectly driven indirectly with the aid of a first energy supply, and the first energy supply having at least one contact element, which is developed to interact with an electrical conductor immovably situated on the support structure.

A rail-guided trolley system includes a main body that, along rails at least partially in a grid pattern, holds and transports a transportation container on a lower side of the rails, traveling wheels at each of four corners of the main body and that travel on the rails, a controller that controls pivot drivers that change orientations of the traveling wheels, and auxiliary wheels each located at least in either front or rear in a traveling direction of the traveling wheel.

A rail-guided trolley system includes a main body that, along rails at least partially in a grid pattern, holds and transports a transportation container on a lower side of the rails, traveling wheels at each of four corners of the main body and that travel on the rails, a controller that controls pivot drivers that change orientations of the traveling wheels, and auxiliary wheels each located at least in either front or rear in a traveling direction of the traveling wheel.

A construct can include an access drift; a length of rail disposed in the access drift; a pair of raise climbers, each adapted to be supported by the rail; a turntable to which the rail is mounted, the turntable being adapted to support the rail, and a raise climber supported thereby, for movement about an axis; a nest disposed adjacent the turntable; and a plurality of rails, each extending from the turntable such that, when the turntable is operatively positioned, the rail of the turntable is aligned therewith, the plurality including at least a pair of curve rails and a nest rail, the curve rails each being adapted to develop a raise and the nest rail being positioned in the nest.

A construct can include an access drift; a length of rail disposed in the access drift; a pair of raise climbers, each adapted to be supported by the rail; a turntable to which the rail is mounted, the turntable being adapted to support the rail, and a raise climber supported thereby, for movement about an axis; a nest disposed adjacent the turntable; and a plurality of rails, each extending from the turntable such that, when the turntable is operatively positioned, the rail of the turntable is aligned therewith, the plurality including at least a pair of curve rails and a nest rail, the curve rails each being adapted to develop a raise and the nest rail being positioned in the nest.