(http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/autopia/2010/10/straddlingbus.jpg)
QuoteGinormous Traffic-Swallowing Straddling Bus Coming to U.S.
Overhead power lines, bridges and box trucks beware: The giant, lane-straddling bus Chinese engineers hope will someday conquer that country’s legendary traffic by swallowing it whole is one step closer to cruising over rush hours from Los Angeles to Boston.
The Straddling Bus is one part monorail, one part monster truck. As the incredibly awesome illustration above shows, the extra-wide, extra-tall bus straddles two lanes of traffic, allowing passenger cars and small trucks to pass underneath.
It’s the brainchild of Song Youzhou of Shenzhen, who announced yesterday the formation of a U.S. company that will develop business links stateside. U.S. Elevated High-Speed Bus (Group) is looking for manufacturers to build the vehicle and representatives to sell it.
“The word ‘revolutionary’ is so overused, but this new bus actually is revolutionary,†said company spokesman Mark Shieh. “Relative to the cost of a subway line or other rail transit, our bus delivers extraordinary value. Aside from the low cost, the time for construction is about one third that for a subway.â€
The company plans to start work in China as soon as 2011. According to Song, the buses carry “hundreds†of passengers and will be powered by electricity with a little help from roof-mounted solar panels. Buses ride eight feet above traffic on rails or painted yellow lines outside of car-traffic lanes. They travel over traffic at speeds ranging from 25 to 50 mph and are sure to scare the bejeezus out of old ladies in Sebring convertibles.
Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/10/straddling-bus-coming-to-america/#ixzz13ZjwrCtj
Blanding Blvd.!
Won't work. Just remember you heard that here first.
First time someone try's to make a left turn under that thing...
First time someone try's to enter the road as it approaches...
First time some driver panic's and hit's the wall...
First time someone has a fender bender which sends someone into the wall...
First time someone driving this monster misjudges the height of the pickup camper, UPS van etc. in front...
First time someone on the corner is swept away by the sweeping turn...
ZEPPELIN'S OPERATED BY DRUG CRAZED PYGMY'S WILL SUCCEED FIRST...
NOW I REALLY NEED THAT DOCTOR APPOINTMENT!
OCKLAWAHA
I don't think this thing will ever work. There's no way this could ever function on a conventional bus route, and making dedicated lanes ups the cost immensely. However, I think JTA will give this a hard look before they pay for commuter rail.
Maybe we could add it to Monster Jam.
Wow, I didn't know something as simple as rail is despised to this degree. That thing is insane.
Yeah, this is a terrible idea and completely infeasible. What problem does it solve?
Well.......it might work in China? I would have to see it work first!
Quote from: Captain Zissou on October 27, 2010, 12:12:24 PM
I don't think this thing will ever work. There's no way this could ever function on a conventional bus route, and making dedicated lanes ups the cost immensely. However, I think JTA will give this a hard look before they pay for commuter rail.
JTA would rather hire Christine O'Donnell to cast a traffic reduction spell every day at 5 o'clock, before they'd actually get serious about spending any money on rail. They are threatened by it for some reason.
Flags of all Nations!
(bonus points for anyone who gets the movie I am referencing.)
Is this the same Song Youzhou who invented the Aerosol Condom, Cat Diapers
and the Billfold Brunch (small sandwiches and crepes designed to fit in your wallet)?
PS: How do you exit?
I saw this in the latest issue of Sechuan Journal of Popular Science for the Deranged, along with the Human Centipede Commuter Train in Kyoto.....
This, for some reason, reminds me of the Catbus in My Neighbor Totoro.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on October 27, 2010, 12:07:59 PM
Won't work. Just remember you heard that here first.
First time someone try's to make a left turn under that thing...
First time someone try's to enter the road as it approaches...
First time some driver panic's and hit's the wall...
First time someone has a fender bender which sends someone into the wall...
First time someone driving this monster misjudges the height of the pickup camper, UPS van etc. in front...
First time someone on the corner is swept away by the sweeping turn...
ZEPPELIN'S OPERATED BY DRUG CRAZED PYGMY'S WILL SUCCEED FIRST...
NOW I REALLY NEED THAT DOCTOR APPOINTMENT!
OCKLAWAHA
I just completely BURST into laughter after reading Ocklawaha's post. Oh how irony! -catches breaths-
-Josh
overpasses?
Apparently they'll have these in Dubai (according to the picture). In the picture there are 2 Lamborghini's, A Ferrari 430, two Bugatti Veyrons, a Mercedes SL550, a Lotus Elise, and a Range Rover. I guess all the commoners are on the Monster Bus.
I would hazard to say..............the stop's will be covered!
Quote from: ChriswUfGator on October 27, 2010, 12:19:16 PM
JTA would rather hire Christine O'Donnell to cast a traffic reduction spell every day at 5 o'clock, before they'd actually get serious about spending any money on rail. They are threatened by it for some reason.
perhaps it is because some business people are worried about growth at the port and don't want to do anything that could impact freight rail movements?
Two seperate "Rail" types tufsu! Even a rookie like myself knows that!
Criminal accusation....huh?
Not saying I agree with the concern.....but imagine this....there are only 2 tracks crossing the river on FEC line and trains are going by there constantly during the day...how would commuter rail, even with just 30 min headways, affect those trains?
The only way commuter rail will work is for it and the associated improvements to benefit CSX, FEC and NS. This can happen, if this place has one ounce of creativity. Here are three benefits.
1. Rebuilding the S-Line (COJ owned property) would immediately give FEC direct access to the Tallyrand terminals while doubling as a transit corridor connecting neighborhoods like Springfield and Durkeeville with Downtown.
2. Anyone use Sunbeam or Shad Road on a regular basis? Well adding commuter rail down the FEC would most likely require additional grade separated overpasses in the Southside. That's a benefit for freight rail movement and Southside drivers.
3. How about straight up buying the S-Line (track paralleling North Main Street) from CSX? Its not a main line and if they were willing to sell 61 miles of mainline track in Orlando, they'll certainly be opening to selling what amounts to a spur between Jax and Kingsland. Combined with rebuilding the S-Line, under public ownership that line could connect all JAXPORT terminals with CSX, NS and FEC. Doubling as passenger use, it would also tie in DT with the airport and Fernandina Beach. Btw, this isn't a new concept. There are several other cities that do this across the country.
Imo, our leaders and everyone talking port logistics needs to wake up, look at how other communities deal with these issues and get creative.
Quote from: Lunican on October 27, 2010, 12:17:46 PM
Yeah, this is a terrible idea and completely infeasible. What problem does it solve?
In theory it would keep the bus moving unless at a stop to board or discharge passengers. It eliminates que jumper lanes.
EXAMPLE: Bus approaching a light, and traffic is backed up 12 cars deep... bus goes to the head of the line and if it has signal priority* it trips the circuit, rolls OVER the que of cars, light changes and bus continues without delay, now at the head of the line.
I know, DUMB!
The down side far outweighs the benefits, the thing will in reality have to be mounted on rails, or have a tight twin lane marked track about the size of a bike path on a typical Florida road, these things will have to be marked off in bright colors and a stiff penalty imposed for encroachment.**
* Signal priority is different in China, they simply hang a Christian, Homosexual or other "undesirable" in a bird cage with a remote control in his hand...
** Enforcement will be different in China too, encroach once and your sent to the Gobi frontier...OCKLAWAHA
Let's suppose they elevated it, made it narrower, (perhaps even to the point of needing but a single rail), made it purely electric, and oh... let's throw in automation for the heck of it.
Now that is part of a transit system that is workable. Too bad we'll never have that type of thing here.
Quote from: tufsu1 on October 27, 2010, 05:51:05 PM
Criminal accusation....huh?
Not saying I agree with the concern.....but imagine this....there are only 2 tracks crossing the river on FEC line and trains are going by there constantly during the day...how would commuter rail, even with just 30 min headways, affect those trains?
REALLY TU? The typical double track with CTC - central traffic control, IS GOOD for about 150 trains a day, toss in that FEC is on PTC - positive train control, already, and that number jumps higher by as much as 38%. Do the math... The double track bridge over the river, even if it's in ABS - automatic block signal territory (which I doubt) is WELL ABOVE 100 trains daily.
The worst part of the bridge is somewhere in the future, not too distant, most bridges of this era were built with a 100 year metal fatigue window of service. How much is needed to get it up to snuff for another 100? OCKLAWAHA
Quote* Signal priority is different in China, they simply hang a Christian, Homosexual or other "undesirable" in a bird cage with a remote control in his hand...
** Enforcement will be different in China too, encroach once and your sent to the Gobi frontier...
LOL
I learned these things whilst M-19 was shelling Bogota one fine spring day... FYI, it's different in Bogota now that the drug lords and most of the commie's are dust, it's just that the police have this nasty new habit:
BANG! BANG! ... HALT!
OOPS, Oh shit!
OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: buckethead on October 27, 2010, 07:13:31 PM
Let's suppose they elevated it, made it narrower, (perhaps even to the point of needing but a single rail), made it purely electric, and oh... let's throw in automation for the heck of it.
Now that is part of a transit system that is workable. Too bad we'll never have that type of thing here.
buckethead............your killing me big guy! Gate Concrete would take out a contract to get this kind of business from the City! tufsu......your talking about "Freight/Passenger Trains" right? Amtrak............twice a day, once morning, once evening...........Freight whenever the hell they are scheduled.....maybe 12 to 14 times per day...........gaps in all of those schedules and plenty of opportunity to make use of the gaps! You want to think outside of the box...........lets confiscate a lane for ....." Light Rail" on 95 get one entry point and one exit point and loop throughout into City. Keep weight at 40K or less and guess what...........that is the limit for 18 Wheelers...............no bridge that is not designed for that weight to be crossed! Unless you think your counterparts at FDOT can't design up to specs?