1. Enhancing Mobility Through Technology in a Congested Urban Environment
Evolution of Ground Transport Technology:
From the
Omnibus to Personal Rapid Transit (PRT)
The Problem: Urban Congestion Snarls Mobility

2. Omnibus on Blackfriar’s Bridge, 1798
Over the years technology has evolved…
From:
Omnibus on Blackfriar’s Bridge, 1798
To:
Hummers for everyone, 2008
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3. Evolution of the OmniBus for intra-urban mass transportation
Start:
London,1798
Geo Enhancement:
NYC, 1830
Technology Elements:
Capacity: ~10 Seated Passengers
Propulsion: Horses or Mules
Externalities: Disease and non operating revenue from pollution
Support: Wooden Wheel on Pavement
Headway & Lateral Control: Human
Capacity Enhancement:
Double Decker, London
Propulsion Enhancement: Steam, London
Support Enhancement:
Iron (Steel) Rails
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4. Growth of Horse-Drawn Street Railway Technology
1850: NYC
1860: London
1875: Minneapolis
1890: Broadway NYC
1908: Washington , GA
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5. Evolution of Horse-Drawn Street Railway Technology
Today: DisneyWorld
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6. Growth of Cable Street Railway Technology
1900: Pittsburgh
1874: Hoboken
Growth of Cable Street Railway Technology
1880: Washington, DC
Beginning in 1873: San Francisco
1890: Kansas City
1880: Los Angeles
1882: Portland, OR
1896: Cincinnati
1890: Chicago
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7. Elements of Cable Street Railway Technology
1886: Steam Power Plant
Hoboken Grip
Under the street

8. Elements of Cable Street Railway Technology
San Francisco
Gripper
Interior
Let Go xing
Stuck
Push
Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest

9. Evolution of Cable Street Railway Technology
Beginning 1873: SF
Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest
More images, incline RR

10. Birth-Death Process of Transport Technology
In the beginning…
In the end…
“… [I]n capitalist reality…, it is not [price] competition which counts but the competition from the new commodity, the new technology…- competition which commands a decisive cost or quality advantage and which strikes not at the margins of the profits and the outputs of the existing firms but at their foundations and their very lives.” Joseph A Shumpeter ( )
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11. 2nd half of 19th Century is a period of industrialization and rapid growth of cities
In response, cities can occupy the same area at a higher density, implying higher congestion, or
Expand over a larger area, requiring better transportation technology.
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12. Mid-Late 19th C ways to address congestion through segregation of modes
Pedestrian Overpass
People over Transport
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13. Segregation of Modes
Transport over People
NYC
London
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14. Building the First Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building the First Elevated RR in NYC
Commenced Service, 7/2/1867 (cable powered, converted to steam 2/14/1883)
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15. Building the First Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building the First Elevated RR in NYC
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16. Building Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building Elevated RR in NYC
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17. Building Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building Elevated RR in NYC
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18. Building Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building Elevated RR in NYC
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19. Building Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building Elevated RR in NYC
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20. Building Elevated RR in NYC
Segregation of Modes
Building Elevated RR in NYC
2nd Ave Line, 1900
6th Ave Line Station, 1878
6th Ave Line, 1945
Chicago Loop, 1900
3rd Ave Line
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21. Segregation of Modes Going Underground: Transport Under People
London, 1860s
Baker St. Station, London Metropolitan, commenced service 1/10/1863
NYC Park Ave, 1880
Cut & cover, Paddington,1866
Boston, 1st US, 1904
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22. Electric Traction
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23. Innovation of Electric Traction
The Innovators
Thomas Davenport ( )
an American blacksmith and inventor who invented the first DC electrical motor in 1834 and made a small model of electrical railway in He patented a device for "Improvements in propelling machinery by magnetism and electromagnetism" in 1837 (his electric railway).
Davenport's model of an electric "train." The circular track is 4 feet in diameter. Power was supplied from a stationary battery to the moving electric locomotive, using the rails as conductors for the electricity
Berlin, 1879
Werner Von Siemens
Berlin, 1882
Kurfurstendamm St., 1879
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24. Chicago Demonstration 1883, overhead wiresaa
Innovation of Electric Traction
Charles Van Depoele
Chicago Demonstration 1883, overhead wiresaa
The Innovators
Leo Daft ( ) Baltimore 1885
Uses 3rd rail
Werner Von Siemens
Berlin, 1882
Berlin, 1879
Kurfurstendamm St., 1879
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25. Innovation of Electric Traction
1st Really Successful System Richmond, VA, 1888
Frank J Sprague
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26. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
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27. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
Newark, NJ, 900
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28. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
Witherspoon St.
@ Gate to Nassau Hall
Princeton, NJ, 1930
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29. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
Build ‘em Everywhere
Iowa
Indiana Ohio
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30. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
Build ‘em Everywhere
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31. Putting the squeeze on the competition
Electric Traction
Putting the squeeze on the competition
But in the end….
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32. Death of Electric Traction
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33. Death of Electric Traction
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34. Nostalgia of Electric Traction
Online sources of Light Rail Transit
Replicas of Vintage Trolley Cars: John Smatlak Link
Light Rail, Tramway and Urban Transit Links Link
Light Rail Transit Systems in US Link
Pittsburgh
SF Muni
River Line NJ
Newark Subway
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35. Growth to Maturity of Electric Traction
Jon Bell’s Rail Transit Pages Good source on many of his pictures and descriptions
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36. Electric Traction
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37. Von Siemens Kurfurstendamm St., 1879
Trolley Bus
LA,
1st Trolley Bus
Von Siemens Kurfurstendamm St., 1879
NYC 1930
Philadelphia, 1970
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38. Growth to Maturity of Electric Trolleys
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39. Early Innovators of the Automobile
Karl Benz
Nicolaus Otto ( )invented the first practical alternative to the steam engine in the first four-stroke internal combustion engine. He called it the "Otto Cycle Engine," and as soon as he had completed his engine, he built it into a motorcycle.
Benz patent 1885
1st Production Benz, Velo, 1894
Gotlieb Daimler
Daimler Maybach Improved Ottos’s Engine
1st Motorcycle 1885; 4-wheel automobile 3/8/1886
1st bus (modified Benz Truck) 1895
Wilhelm Maybach
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40. Early Innovators of the Automobile
Steam
1908 Land Speed Record 127 mph
Francis Edgar Stanley
Freelan Oscar Stanley
1903 Mile Record
1918 Stanley Steamer
1913 Stanley Steamer
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Stanley Steamer Link Wiki

41. History of Electric cars
Early Innovators of the Automobile
Electric
History of Electric cars
1900 Baker Electric
GM ev1 2000
Crushed ev1s
Who Killed the Electric car
1905 Woods Early electric cars
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42. Early Automobiles
Not so good!
Bad Roads
Bad Weather
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43. Dominance of Automobiles
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44. Dominance of Automobiles
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45. Innovative Solutions
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46. What about Mass Transit?? Do you mean Monorails??

47. MonoRails: Not a new concept
Suspended
1886, Cambridge Line
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48. Wuppertal Schwebebahn
Movie
8.3 miles
20 stations
22.9 M pax/yr
72,000 pax/day
Av occupancy 52.8%
2.9 miles Av.Travel Distance
kWh/pax
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49. MonoRails:
DisneyWorld
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50. Alternative Propulsion:
You’ve got to go FAST!
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51. Automated Systems
Commuter Rail
BART
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52. Automated Systems
Commuter Rail
Lindenwold NJ Line
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53. South Park Test Track Pgh, Pa
Automated People Movers
Westinghouse SkyBus,
South Park Test Track Pgh, Pa
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54. South Park Test Track Pgh, Pa
Automated People Movers
Westinghouse SkyBus,
South Park Test Track Pgh, Pa
Tampa Airport
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55. Starts with Alden Starr car
Morgantown PRT
(On the vehicle switch!)
(actually: Group Rapid transit (GRT))
Starts with Alden Starr car
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56. Morgantown PRT
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57. Morgantown PRT
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58. Morgantown PRT
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59. Morgantown PRT
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60. Morgantown PRT
Movie
Movie2

61. Morgantown PRT
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62. Alternative Support Air Bearing Compatible with: On-vehicle switch
Active element of LIM in guideway
Transportation Technology, Inc. (TTI) -Otis
Compatible with:
On-vehicle switch
Linear induction propulsion
Low Floor
Passive element of LIM in guideway
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63. Alternative “Support”:
Attractive Mag lev
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64. Alternative “Support”:
Overhead Suspended
Rohr Monocab
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65. Alternative “Support”:
Overhead Suspended
Rhor Monocab
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66. Alternative “Support”:
Overhead Suspended
Rhor Monocab
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67. Alternative “Support”: Overhead Suspended H-Bahn
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68. Alternative Headway Control
Laser range
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69. Alternative Headway Control
Aramis
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70. Alternative “Support”:
“Both” CabinenTaxi
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71. Alternative “Support”:
“Both” CabinenTaxi
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72. Alternative “Support”: CVS
(Bullet through the propeller trick)
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73. Alternative “Support”: CVS
(Bullet through the propeller trick)
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74. Current PRT Innovators
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