32:
223:
Vehicles for
Personal Non-Stop Transportation" to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Future Transportation Conference in Portland, Oregon. The paper is a thorough description of the concept at that point, although some important features of the current skyTran design are only discussed as options, including magnetic levitation rather than wheels and hanging below the guideway instead of riding above it.
226:
The paper describes how
Malewicki had built and driven a freeway-legal 154-MPG car in 1981, but realised it could never be safe on a street surrounded by far larger and heavier vehicles. Elevated tracks would allow a very light vehicle to be safe. They are also basic to the system's inexpensiveness,
222:
Malewicki conceived the basic idea of skyTran in 1990, filing a US patent application that year that was granted as US Patent #5108052 in 1992. He published several technical papers on skyTran in the following years. In 1991, he presented a paper entitled "People Pods – Miniature
Magnetic Levitation
185:
in June 2016, showing levitation stators being plain aluminum plates and motor stators as aluminum tubes. The guideway is also significantly enlarged and wider than the vehicle, so the switching can be vertical, going through the guideway. The guideway shape is shown at 16:26 above the referenced
536:
93:
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or 1.2 L/100 km"). It also described how a very light vehicle that can squeeze both surfaces of a track simultaneously could reliably achieve a 6-G deceleration, allowing it to brake safely to a stop from 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) in just 55 feet (16.76 m).
147:
passive magnetic levitation system instead of wheels. Passive maglev requires no external power to levitate vehicles. Rather, the magnetic repulsion is produced by the movement of the vehicle over shorted wire coils in the track. The cars would be driven by a
190:. Instead of the purely passive induct rack system, the new mechanism modifies lift by mechanically angling the magnetic pads and needs a servo-controlled actuation. The lift control also does the switching by moving vertically through the rails.
167:, with guideways and their exit and entry ramps crossing above or below each other. Tracks will be supported 20 or 30 feet (6 or 9 m) above the ground by standard metal utility poles. They could also be attached to the sides of buildings.
540:
227:
because there is no need to acquire a huge right of way and tear down buildings. It presents an aerodynamic analysis (Malewicki is an aerospace engineer) supporting claims of very high energy efficiency (the paper claims 407 mpg
303:
had acquired a 12.7% stake in SkyTran through its subsidiary
Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited. As part of the deal, Reliance would supply communication equipment and a prototype would be built in India.
562:
Malewicki, Douglas J.; Baker, Frank J. (June 1991). "People Pods - Miniature
Magnetic Levitation Vehicles for Personal Non-Stop Transportation". Irvine California, USA: AeroVisions, Inc., and Monitoring Automation
325:
In
February 2021, Reliance Industries increased its shareholding in skyTran to 54.46% with an additional investment of $ 26.76 million making Reliance Industries Limited the majority stakeholder in SkyTran.
963:
273:(IAI) contracted to build a 400-500 meter elevated loop test track on IAI's campus in central Israel. If the pilot project is successful, IAI will build a commercial skyTran network in the city of
266:, in Mountain View, California. NASA control and vehicle dynamics simulation software was made available to Unimodal, which hired NASA subcontractors to program them using US DOT grant funding.
329:
In
September 2023, skyTran was shuttered and filed for bankruptcy due to no additional funding from Reliance Industries; even though a full-scale in-door prototype was within 6 to 9 months.
1038:
262:(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) signed a Space Act joint development agreement with Unimodal. Unimodal has tested prototype vehicles on short guideway sections at NASA's
678:"The Green MEGA CITY: An eco-savvy blueprint for tomorrow's megacity that points the way to fresh air, clean water and traffic that never jams -- Transportation -- Maglev skyTran"
937:
627:
885:
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42:
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to test and develop skyTran. skyTran had proposed additional projects in France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United
Kingdom, and the United States.
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ideas, such as passengers exiting and boarding at off-line elevated "portal" stops while high-speed traffic continues to speed by on its main line.
163:
that also captures the vehicles mechanically to prevent derailment. Malewicki proposes a 3D grid design that avoids accident-prone intersections by
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437:
143:
To minimize maintenance and make switching on and off the tracks efficient at high speeds, early versions of the system were proposed using the
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1174:
206:
195:
57:
1007:
910:
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406:
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or 0.578 L/100 km for skyTran's current two-passenger tandem design, though the
Unimodal site claims only, "over 200 mpg
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In this first version, the passive maglev coils are enclosed and supported by a light shell called a
20:
808:
663:
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in the United Arab
Emirates for the study and implementation of a personal rapid transit system in
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740:"Israel's largest defense company to build world's first elevated transit network in Israel"
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263:
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322:(RTA) of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to develop a Sky Pod suspended transit system.
8:
595:"People Pods". Table 2 "Performance Comparisons of Possible People Pod Concepts," page 5.
300:
994:
518:
1319:
285:. In April 2015, the Herzliya city council approved a budget for the skyTran project.
1329:
251:
proposals such as skyTran. The "Maglev skyTran" topic quoted a number of skyTran and
112:
1159:
364:
164:
127:, which SkyTran has replaced with a similar proprietary design, has been tested by
854:"Eilat inks deal with skyTran, taking step toward futuristic pod transport system"
1450:
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128:
49:
739:
1366:
1279:
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and the cost associated with it, skyTran described an improved design during a
152:
in the track or vehicle. Therefore, the system would have no electromechanical
119:
of the skyTran vehicle and a section of track have been constructed. The early
53:
388:
318:
In June 2019 a memorandum of understanding was signed between skyTran and the
182:
175:
1444:
1206:
790:
685:
312:
248:
999:
964:"Reliance Industries ups stake in skyTran Inc to 54.46% for $ 26.76 million"
339:
153:
149:
938:"RIL buys majority stake in skyTran; invested in future tech, says Ambani"
645:"People Pods". Figure 7, "People Pod High 'g' Braking Capability," page 8.
1299:
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1129:
1119:
1201:
886:"RIL Subsidiary Acquires Additional Stake In SkyTran; Share Price Gains"
1114:
293:
171:
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124:
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with a full-scale model. In 2010, Unimodal signed an agreement with
116:
1154:
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828:"Reliance to decide site to build India's first pod taxi prototype"
278:
274:
92:
494:"Can a network of levitating pods change how urban India travels?"
1371:
359:
307:
In April 2019, SkyTran signed a memorandum of understanding with
282:
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1304:
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New details about the levitation and motor were described in a
187:
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308:
1000:
Are Magnetically Levitating 'Sky Pods' the Future of Travel?
438:"Sky Tran Targets Europe -- But Can It Beat The Bureaucracy"
259:
132:
989:
247:
The 2008, energy shortages stimulated renewed interest in
791:"Herzliya plans elevated rapid transport system - Globes"
709:"NASA Partners to Revolutionize Personal Transportation"
407:"NASA Partners to Revolutionize Personal Transportation"
1100:
Automated Guideway Transit System project (Philippines)
111:
system concept. It was first proposed by the inventor
766:"Futuristic skytrain track to be built near Tel Aviv"
193:
The patents filed by skyTran for this new system are
115:
in 1990 and was under development by Unimodal Inc. A
60:, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a
299:In 2018, it was announced that Indian conglomerate
96:Artist's rendering of the proposed skyTran design
1442:
539:. US Patent and Trademark Office. Archived from
911:"RIL Acquires Majority Equity Stake In SkyTran"
186:video. This new concept can be seen in a short
1345:Unbuilt Rosemont personal rapid transit system
561:
1032:
1175:UP Diliman Automated Guideway Transit System
737:
1486:Transport companies disestablished in 2023
1039:
1025:
713:Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif
389:"Magnetically Levitate Train Takes Flight"
1105:Bicutan Automated Guideway Transit System
872:"Dubai signs deal on high speed skytrain"
475:"Sky taxis are about to become a reality"
311:to build an elevated rail system serving
80:Learn how and when to remove this message
706:
472:
91:
535:Burke, Wallace R. (September 1, 1992).
435:
1443:
393:Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
382:
380:
156:, making it entirely a "solid-state".
41:contains content that is written like
1020:
763:
534:
473:Kavilanz, Parija (October 23, 2015).
16:Personal rapid transit system concept
1197:List of airport people mover systems
935:
825:
707:Marlaire, Ruth (September 2, 2009).
436:Clawson, Trevor (October 23, 2014).
25:
851:
491:
413:. September 2, 2009. Archived from
377:
178:at NASA Ames in Mountain View, CA.
13:
1295:Computer-controlled Vehicle System
1073:Hamersley & Robe River railway
961:
738:Rabinovitch, Ari (June 24, 2014).
386:
176:Horizon BBC interview with skyTran
14:
1497:
1310:Morgantown Personal Rapid Transit
983:
936:Team, BS Web (28 February 2021).
826:Sood, Jyotika (22 October 2018).
809:"skyTran is coming to Yas Island"
492:Rao, Meghna (September 2, 2015).
138:
1461:Reliance Industries subsidiaries
170:After identifying problems with
30:
1481:Projects disestablished in 2023
1285:Aramis (personal rapid transit)
1068:List of automated train systems
995:Archive of old skyTran.net site
955:
929:
903:
878:
864:
845:
819:
801:
783:
764:Winer, Stuart (June 24, 2014).
757:
731:
700:
684:. June 13, 2008. Archived from
670:
638:
620:
588:
288:In June 2016, skyTran signed a
1150:Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
628:"Benefits -- Energy Efficient"
555:
528:
504:
485:
466:
448:
429:
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207:US application 20140130703
196:US application 20150329010
1:
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320:Roads and Transport Authority
1382:High Speed Surface Transport
1275:Advanced Transit Association
7:
1239:PeopleMover (Magic Kingdom)
1140:Harbour Island People Mover
332:
290:memorandum of understanding
271:Israel Aerospace Industries
269:In June 2014, Unimodal and
10:
1502:
1476:Vertical transport devices
1249:Véhicule Automatique Léger
1078:Iron Ore Company of Canada
1005:NASA skyTran press release
258:In September 2009, the US
217:
18:
1357:
1261:
1183:
1086:
1058:
21:SkyTrain (disambiguation)
1234:PeopleMover (Disneyland)
1212:Metro-Airport Connection
1145:Krauss-Maffei Transurban
1110:Bombardier Innovia Metro
682:Popular Science Magazine
19:Not to be confused with
1412:Skyrail Midorizaka Line
1407:São Paulo Metro Line 17
1402:São Paulo Metro Line 15
1125:Docklands Light Railway
942:Business Standard India
1471:Personal rapid transit
1397:Palm Jumeirah Monorail
1387:Incheon Airport Maglev
1219:Barcelona Metro line 9
1052:fixed-guideway transit
658:Cite journal requires
608:Cite journal requires
576:Cite journal requires
345:Maglev train proposals
253:personal rapid transit
109:personal rapid transit
97:
1422:Transport System Bögl
1340:Ultra (rapid transit)
1224:Cabletren Bolivariano
990:skyTran official site
858:www.timesofisrael.com
524:on February 16, 2006.
355:Sustainable transport
95:
62:neutral point of view
1170:SkyTrain (Vancouver)
852:Solomon, Shoshanna.
634:on January 22, 2009.
264:Ames Research Center
1466:Reliance Industries
1207:Birmingham Air-Rail
813:What's On Abu Dhabi
770:The Times of Israel
543:on February 5, 2016
301:Reliance Industries
121:magnetic levitation
54:promotional content
1456:Proposed monorails
1320:Schmid Peoplemover
1010:2015-03-01 at the
968:The Economic Times
917:. 28 February 2021
537:"Monorail vehicle"
387:Rennie, Gabriele.
98:
56:and inappropriate
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1353:
1352:
1330:SK (people mover)
1257:
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962:Prasad, Rachita.
462:on June 24, 2015.
113:Douglas Malewicki
90:
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82:
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874:. June 10, 2019.
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815:. June 29, 2016.
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797:. 20 April 2015.
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688:on June 17, 2008
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458:. Archived from
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365:String transport
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239:or 240 mpg
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129:General Atomics
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39:This article
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971:. Retrieved
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945:. Retrieved
941:
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919:. Retrieved
915:Moneycontrol
914:
905:
894:. Retrieved
892:. March 2021
890:Moneycontrol
889:
880:
866:
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48:Please help
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1300:HUD reports
1290:Cabinentaxi
1130:Dubai Metro
1120:Delhi Metro
421:November 1,
1445:Categories
1358:Driverless
1115:Dashaveyor
973:2021-03-01
896:2021-03-01
837:27 October
372:References
294:Yas Island
241:‑imp
233:‑imp
172:Inductrack
145:Inductrack
125:Inductrack
70:March 2015
50:improve it
1417:Slope car
1360:monorails
1229:MiniMetro
1185:Automated
1088:Automated
1059:Automated
479:CNN Money
350:Transport
237:‑US
229:‑US
117:prototype
1263:Personal
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1155:Minitram
1135:Ford ACT
1090:guideway
1008:Archived
775:July 19,
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563:Systems.
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333:See also
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275:Tel Aviv
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1335:SkyTran
1267:transit
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947:1 March
921:1 March
744:Haaretz
360:Levicar
283:Netanya
218:History
107:) is a
105:skyTran
101:Skytran
1451:Maglev
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1189:movers
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