When a train travels, one of the biggest problems is that the train has to stop and start again at each and every stop. This causes problems in two ways. First off, the journey is slowed right down as the train stops for several minutes and then has to wind back up to full speed only having to stop again shortly after. The second problem is the energy used to get a train moving. It is more efficient to let a train run as long as possible with out stopping. An idea that has been invented (which is an amazing idea) is to allow passengers to board with the train moving at full speed. Dangerous? That would be a big YES if passengers were to use the regular doors as it could lead to a tad too many people being hurt. But this fancy new idea makes things look a lot safer while keeping energy usage as low as possible and keeping journey times faster.
The idea here is that you have a smaller “boarding carriage” that sits on runners on top of the train. When it is your turn to get off the train you make your way to the boarding carriage and as the train zips past the train stop the boarding carriage catches the rails at the station and comes to a stop while another boarding carriage is ready and waiting with new passengers ready to board the moving train. The train doesn’t even need to slow down as the boarding carriages can pick up speed as needed.
Unfortunately I do not understand the language in the video below, but the video does have a good animation of what will happen and how this thing works.
Will it change travel on trains in the UK? Maybe so, maybe not. If they could introduce this over here and keep travel prices to a decent price then I’d be tempted to use trains rather then my car.
Source – Simon Wheatley
Interesting idea as a concept. Not sure if people would/could board in such a manner though.