4 ms·

A hanging rail train sounds much more complicated than a train running on top of tracks. I wonder why they chose that configuration? Or maybe a 1 rail hangin

A hanging rail train sounds much more complicated than a train running on top of tracks. I wonder why they chose that configuration? Or maybe a 1 rail hanging configuration takes much less material than 2 rails? edit: sounds like there's some confusion in replies. What I mean is even if elevated, why not elevate traditional 2-rail train tracks, instead of a hanging train?

rmetzler 6y ago
I think the route for the train follows the river in parts.
ss2003 6y ago
Hardly. The infrastructure keeping those trains above ground is tremendous. But keeping them elevated they do not interfere with existing traffic patterns.
kergonath 6y ago
The video shows why: because it could be stacked on top of rivers, tramway tracks and streets, and it would not affect traffic underneath. On one hand, it does looks like a lot of resources and needlessly complex engineering. On the other hand, it's an interesting way of solving problems for which there was no clear solution at the time. We tried all sorts of things before settling on putting trains basically either in tunnels or on elevated tracks. Interestingly, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn (in the video) still operates.
detaro 6y ago
Apparently some local industrialist had an experimental one in his factory, and the proposal won out against competing designs which put a more "normal" rail pair elevated over the river. And back when it was planned any elevated train system was a big new thing, and the difficult bit either way was building over the river.
jahewson 6y ago
You mean why don’t they put the train on top of the elevated rail? Good question. They did that in the US. Maybe the winding European streets would have too many tight corners the train would have to slow for?
m4rtink 6y ago
Some modern top rail monorails do it like that: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sh%C5%8Dnan_Monorail#/media/File:MonorailShonan.JPG https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sh%C5%8Dnan_Mono... The rails is a steel girder with two raceways around a slot inside. The cars hang from T-shaped boogies that come in via the slot and ride on rubber wheels on the raceways.
LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago
Why? At the speeds it goes it's mostly self-stabilized by its own weight. Only slight swings, no real rocking, and if curve is too sharp it slows down. I remember it going more like 40kph and thinking: "Hey, I could be faster on my bicycle!"

rmetzler 6y ago

I think the route for the train follows the river in parts.

ss2003 6y ago

Hardly. The infrastructure keeping those trains above ground is tremendous. But keeping them elevated they do not interfere with existing traffic patterns.

kergonath 6y ago

The video shows why: because it could be stacked on top of rivers, tramway tracks and streets, and it would not affect traffic underneath. On one hand, it does looks like a lot of resources and needlessly complex engineering. On the other hand, it's an interesting way of solving problems for which there was no clear solution at the time. We tried all sorts of things before settling on putting trains basically either in tunnels or on elevated tracks. Interestingly, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn (in the video) still operates.

detaro 6y ago

Apparently some local industrialist had an experimental one in his factory, and the proposal won out against competing designs which put a more "normal" rail pair elevated over the river. And back when it was planned any elevated train system was a big new thing, and the difficult bit either way was building over the river.

jahewson 6y ago

You mean why don’t they put the train on top of the elevated rail? Good question. They did that in the US. Maybe the winding European streets would have too many tight corners the train would have to slow for?

m4rtink 6y ago

Some modern top rail monorails do it like that: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sh%C5%8Dnan_Monorail#/media/File:MonorailShonan.JPG https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sh%C5%8Dnan_Mono... The rails is a steel girder with two raceways around a slot inside. The cars hang from T-shaped boogies that come in via the slot and ride on rubber wheels on the raceways.

LargoLasskhyfv 6y ago

Why? At the speeds it goes it's mostly self-stabilized by its own weight. Only slight swings, no real rocking, and if curve is too sharp it slows down. I remember it going more like 40kph and thinking: "Hey, I could be faster on my bicycle!"