Engine

A simple electric engine is proposed for the mother vehicle. This might be optimized for maintaining consistent cruising speeds as the vehicle rarely deviates from its cruising speed.

The transfer vehicle may be electric also, although the energy requirements of the vehicle will be proportionally higher due to its acceleration and deceleration. It may be possible that a hybrid [electric and petrol] engine is found to be more economic, while this would lose the zero emission characteristic of the network, it might be unwise to ignore running costs as a measure of the overall efficiency.

Amotions may also extract power from tracks embedded into a road surface. These could be locost sequence of metal strips flush with the road which would activate power to a segment under an amotion only when both adjacent segments are connected via electric feelers to the fore and aft of the vehicle. Suck a track might be employed facilitate vehicle guidance at speed.

Propulsion

A system for electric energy transfer is proposed for trackless vehicles, which obviates the need for any recharging delays. The transfer vehicle circulates a battery carousel at its station [‘Powerdock’] that offloads empty batteries and receives fully charged batteries from the battery bank. These charged batteries are transferred to the mother vehicle should this be necessary at the time of connection, and empties are received for re-charging.

Traction

The performance or ‘tractive effort’ depends on the force available to move the vehicle and the ability to express that force through the wheels.

 The formula for tractive effort shows it directly dependent upon both bearing pressure and bearing area. Heavier engines have been used in the past to increase bearing pressure. We will increase tractive effort by furnishing driving wheels on every carriage, thus greatly increasing total bearing area.

Propulsion

Freight