dieseldoctor1
Expert Expediter
There is a thread on here called "Victims of our Own Success". In it there was some reference to what would move freight in the future. It reminded me of a piece I wrote in 2003 to the Virginia DOT when they first started talking of building toll only truck lanes to relieve congestion on I-81. Didn't get a very positive response from them or the members of Congress that I talked to about it. The last paragraph sheds some light on why. What politician will support something that puts thousands of his constitutes out of work. Anyway this is my vision of what could come to be in the future. I removed my address and phone number because a member of the Teamsters Union has already expressed his opinion of this concept. Don't need to hear anymore of that.
Rapid Frieght Movement System
This is a concept for a rapid Freight Handling system. I will not go into great details of all the components here but just give an overview of how the system will work. This system would solve several problems in the trucking and freight business now. These include pollution, heavy truck traffic mixed with car traffic, congestion on all roads and a shortage of truck drivers requiring trucking companys to bring in people from other countrys to train as truck drivers. We could stop worrying about truck parking areas. The reduction of pollution would be huge. There would be huge savings of diesel fuel also.
This would be a nationwide system. The backbone of the system would be a road consisting of two lanes going in opposite directions. These would be seperated from each other by a barrier and each lane would be approximately ten feet wide with a little extra width on the inside of curves to allow for trailer lag.
There would be a single rail down the center of each lane. This rail would be dual purpose. These purposes will be explained later. These lanes could follow the current interstate system and could be in the median of the current interstate where possible or could run on the outside of current lanes. I think one of the current lanes could actually be used because there would be very little truck traffic left on the regular interstate road. Only oversize trucks would be on the current interstate system. Exits and entrances from this road would be near every major metropolitan area as needed, but I don’t think they should be any closer to each other than 100 miles. Large cities and major industrial areas could have four terminals each 50 miles from the center in four different directions. Large manufacturing plants, which now are served by hundreds of trucks per day, could have a spur of their own similar to the rail spurs they have today. These spurs would need to be elevated over any streets they would cross for safety. In fact this system could easily be implemented on the current rail system and use the railroad right of ways. Trains are very inefficient because they use more fuel moving tare weight than payload.
I think the easiest way for me to explain this concept will be to follow a freight shipment along it.
Freight Company ABC would load a trailer at their terminal. This could be the same trailer they are using now in a length needed for the load. No over size trailers would be allowed on this system. No over height, over width, or over weight trailers. This trailer would be coupled to a dolly similar to the dollys now used with the second trailer in a double trailer system. It would differ in that instead of conventional axles it would have axles with an electric drive motor in each wheel. This would be a tandem axle dolly. It would also have a computer system to receive the movement commands from the system master computer and then control the electric motors and braking systems accordingly. It also would monitor the motors and other systems to anticipate problems that could result in breakdowns. It could also monitor tire pressures and temperatures to forsee tire problems before failure. On the tongue of this dolly would be a device that would drop down and engage the rail. This would steer the unit along the rail. It would have rollers on all four axis's to follow the rail and make sure it would not disengage. Also on this dolly, probably incorporated on the guiding device would be a pickup device to pick up the electricity from the rail to drive the motors and would also have circuits for the computer system.
The trailer is loaded, so the dispatcher would type in on his computer the id number of the trailer and the destination. I.e. trailer number 1234 and destination terminal Tr 567 in Dallas TX.
Dispatcher would then radio a truck driver who would hook to this combo with his tractor. He would use a pintle hook to hook to the dolly. (I think there could be designed a better hitch system that could be totally handled without the driver having to leave the cab.) The airbags on the forward axle of this dolly would then deflate transfering weight to the tractor to increase traction for safety purposes. Dispatch would have informed driver that trailer needed to go to Terminal TR 765 in Charlotte and be dropped in lane C in the staging area.
Now to picture in your mind how this staging area would look picture a tree leaf. The lanes A through Z, or however many needed to handle traffic at that location, would be like the veins of the leaf branching off the stem. The stem of the leaf would be an acceleratiion lane leading out to the main line or road.
The driver would pull into the staging area and center the unit over the rail. Then he would drop down the steering guide and the pickup device and pull forward until they engage the rail. (Again I think this could be handled from the cab of the truck.) With the pintle hook unlocked the forward axle airbags would over inflate raising the tongue off the pintle hook. Driver would drive off and go to the incoming dispersal area, which would look like the staging area but reversed. I.e the stem of the leaf would be a deceleration lane. There he would pick up a trailer that has arrived and carry it to terminal or out to customers.
Now the trailer and dolly are there. The steering guide and pickup device are engaged. The airbags on the dolly have equalized the weight on the dolly between the axles so the steering guide doesn’t carry much weight, just follows the rail to steer the unit. The system computer would check all systems, identifying the trailer and it’s destination. Then it would start the unit rolling down the acceleration lane synchronizing it with a space it has opened between the other units rolling on the main road. Unit would merge onto main road at road speed. (I think this speed should be about 70 mph) This speed would be steady except when the master computer needed to make room for a unit coming on the road it would slow up or speed up appox 1 mph to create a space for merging unit. Also after a unit or two has exited the road it would speed up to tighten up the “convoyâ€. Unit would proceed to destination exit at a steady speed and then the master computer would switch it off the main road at the proper exit. It would exit at full speed and then start deccelerating. It would continue down deceleration lane and then master computer would switch it onto a pick up lane. A driver would have been dispatched to pick up unit, probably having just dropped off an outbound unit. He would back his tractor up, hitch to unit and be on his way. Hooking or unhooking shouldn’t take over two or three minutes, even if the driver has to get out and do it manually.
Is the technology available to do this? I say it is. The SkyTran (www.Skytran.net) system has the routing and control technology to handle this system. Going to their website and studying their system will give you a good understanding of how the routing and control would work. Electric wheel motors have been used on heavy mining trucks for years and now are being adapted to military trucks. Light rail systems have used rails as electric conductors for their drive systems for years. The steering device and electric pick up device would be engineered for this system. Don’t see any problem with that. I think the electric motors could also become generators when unit is going down grade and decelerating thus putting some energy back into the system power grid. I envision the system having it’s own power plant with under ground or otherwise protected distribution lines to minimize power failures. As the system evolved farther the trailers could have their standard axles removed and axles with wheel motors installed to take some load off the dolly motors. New tractors could be built with the engine driving generators which would supply power to wheel motors on tractor, dolly and trailer.
This system could also be used for cars but with a separate set of lanes. The hybrid cars already on the market would only need a pick up device to get electricity from the rail and a control computer. Driver would pull up to rail and lower pick up/steering device. Driver would type into computer his desired exit and the master computer would take over. Driver could sleep, do his work, watch movies, play cards or what ever as car is whisked along totally under the master computer control. Talk about eliminating road rage. When car got to its destination exit it would come down the deceleration lane, driver would be alerted and would start the engine and pick up device would retract. Driver would take over control of car and be on his way.
Is there a “bad†side to this system? Yes there is and it’s huge. There would be very little need for long distance truck drivers. Very little use for sleeper tractors. A huge reduction in the use of diesel fuelwould hurt the oil companys and would put truck stops out of business. A big reduction in frieght moving by railroad. Weight station personnel would no longer be needed. Huge reduction in highway patrol and DMV people needed. It would put a lot of DOT people out of work. I could go on and on but I won’t. I will just say that politics will be a bigger obstacle than technology or cost. It would definitely enrage several labor unions and businesses. Net loss of jobs would be huge.
.
Concept developed by: James G Nolen
xxxxxxxxxx
Marshville NC xxxxx
First published 04/07/03
Dieseldoctor
Rapid Frieght Movement System
This is a concept for a rapid Freight Handling system. I will not go into great details of all the components here but just give an overview of how the system will work. This system would solve several problems in the trucking and freight business now. These include pollution, heavy truck traffic mixed with car traffic, congestion on all roads and a shortage of truck drivers requiring trucking companys to bring in people from other countrys to train as truck drivers. We could stop worrying about truck parking areas. The reduction of pollution would be huge. There would be huge savings of diesel fuel also.
This would be a nationwide system. The backbone of the system would be a road consisting of two lanes going in opposite directions. These would be seperated from each other by a barrier and each lane would be approximately ten feet wide with a little extra width on the inside of curves to allow for trailer lag.
There would be a single rail down the center of each lane. This rail would be dual purpose. These purposes will be explained later. These lanes could follow the current interstate system and could be in the median of the current interstate where possible or could run on the outside of current lanes. I think one of the current lanes could actually be used because there would be very little truck traffic left on the regular interstate road. Only oversize trucks would be on the current interstate system. Exits and entrances from this road would be near every major metropolitan area as needed, but I don’t think they should be any closer to each other than 100 miles. Large cities and major industrial areas could have four terminals each 50 miles from the center in four different directions. Large manufacturing plants, which now are served by hundreds of trucks per day, could have a spur of their own similar to the rail spurs they have today. These spurs would need to be elevated over any streets they would cross for safety. In fact this system could easily be implemented on the current rail system and use the railroad right of ways. Trains are very inefficient because they use more fuel moving tare weight than payload.
I think the easiest way for me to explain this concept will be to follow a freight shipment along it.
Freight Company ABC would load a trailer at their terminal. This could be the same trailer they are using now in a length needed for the load. No over size trailers would be allowed on this system. No over height, over width, or over weight trailers. This trailer would be coupled to a dolly similar to the dollys now used with the second trailer in a double trailer system. It would differ in that instead of conventional axles it would have axles with an electric drive motor in each wheel. This would be a tandem axle dolly. It would also have a computer system to receive the movement commands from the system master computer and then control the electric motors and braking systems accordingly. It also would monitor the motors and other systems to anticipate problems that could result in breakdowns. It could also monitor tire pressures and temperatures to forsee tire problems before failure. On the tongue of this dolly would be a device that would drop down and engage the rail. This would steer the unit along the rail. It would have rollers on all four axis's to follow the rail and make sure it would not disengage. Also on this dolly, probably incorporated on the guiding device would be a pickup device to pick up the electricity from the rail to drive the motors and would also have circuits for the computer system.
The trailer is loaded, so the dispatcher would type in on his computer the id number of the trailer and the destination. I.e. trailer number 1234 and destination terminal Tr 567 in Dallas TX.
Dispatcher would then radio a truck driver who would hook to this combo with his tractor. He would use a pintle hook to hook to the dolly. (I think there could be designed a better hitch system that could be totally handled without the driver having to leave the cab.) The airbags on the forward axle of this dolly would then deflate transfering weight to the tractor to increase traction for safety purposes. Dispatch would have informed driver that trailer needed to go to Terminal TR 765 in Charlotte and be dropped in lane C in the staging area.
Now to picture in your mind how this staging area would look picture a tree leaf. The lanes A through Z, or however many needed to handle traffic at that location, would be like the veins of the leaf branching off the stem. The stem of the leaf would be an acceleratiion lane leading out to the main line or road.
The driver would pull into the staging area and center the unit over the rail. Then he would drop down the steering guide and the pickup device and pull forward until they engage the rail. (Again I think this could be handled from the cab of the truck.) With the pintle hook unlocked the forward axle airbags would over inflate raising the tongue off the pintle hook. Driver would drive off and go to the incoming dispersal area, which would look like the staging area but reversed. I.e the stem of the leaf would be a deceleration lane. There he would pick up a trailer that has arrived and carry it to terminal or out to customers.
Now the trailer and dolly are there. The steering guide and pickup device are engaged. The airbags on the dolly have equalized the weight on the dolly between the axles so the steering guide doesn’t carry much weight, just follows the rail to steer the unit. The system computer would check all systems, identifying the trailer and it’s destination. Then it would start the unit rolling down the acceleration lane synchronizing it with a space it has opened between the other units rolling on the main road. Unit would merge onto main road at road speed. (I think this speed should be about 70 mph) This speed would be steady except when the master computer needed to make room for a unit coming on the road it would slow up or speed up appox 1 mph to create a space for merging unit. Also after a unit or two has exited the road it would speed up to tighten up the “convoyâ€. Unit would proceed to destination exit at a steady speed and then the master computer would switch it off the main road at the proper exit. It would exit at full speed and then start deccelerating. It would continue down deceleration lane and then master computer would switch it onto a pick up lane. A driver would have been dispatched to pick up unit, probably having just dropped off an outbound unit. He would back his tractor up, hitch to unit and be on his way. Hooking or unhooking shouldn’t take over two or three minutes, even if the driver has to get out and do it manually.
Is the technology available to do this? I say it is. The SkyTran (www.Skytran.net) system has the routing and control technology to handle this system. Going to their website and studying their system will give you a good understanding of how the routing and control would work. Electric wheel motors have been used on heavy mining trucks for years and now are being adapted to military trucks. Light rail systems have used rails as electric conductors for their drive systems for years. The steering device and electric pick up device would be engineered for this system. Don’t see any problem with that. I think the electric motors could also become generators when unit is going down grade and decelerating thus putting some energy back into the system power grid. I envision the system having it’s own power plant with under ground or otherwise protected distribution lines to minimize power failures. As the system evolved farther the trailers could have their standard axles removed and axles with wheel motors installed to take some load off the dolly motors. New tractors could be built with the engine driving generators which would supply power to wheel motors on tractor, dolly and trailer.
This system could also be used for cars but with a separate set of lanes. The hybrid cars already on the market would only need a pick up device to get electricity from the rail and a control computer. Driver would pull up to rail and lower pick up/steering device. Driver would type into computer his desired exit and the master computer would take over. Driver could sleep, do his work, watch movies, play cards or what ever as car is whisked along totally under the master computer control. Talk about eliminating road rage. When car got to its destination exit it would come down the deceleration lane, driver would be alerted and would start the engine and pick up device would retract. Driver would take over control of car and be on his way.
Is there a “bad†side to this system? Yes there is and it’s huge. There would be very little need for long distance truck drivers. Very little use for sleeper tractors. A huge reduction in the use of diesel fuelwould hurt the oil companys and would put truck stops out of business. A big reduction in frieght moving by railroad. Weight station personnel would no longer be needed. Huge reduction in highway patrol and DMV people needed. It would put a lot of DOT people out of work. I could go on and on but I won’t. I will just say that politics will be a bigger obstacle than technology or cost. It would definitely enrage several labor unions and businesses. Net loss of jobs would be huge.
.
Concept developed by: James G Nolen
xxxxxxxxxx
Marshville NC xxxxx
First published 04/07/03
Dieseldoctor
