The Monorail Vehicle

Unique Suspension Design The monorail wraps around the guideway beam. Its vertical load is carried by two wheels which run on the bottom flange of the guideway beam (wheels at each end of each vehicle segment), and it is guided by two horizontally-mounted wheels which are higher up and run against the side the beam. This wrap-around-the-beam design makes the monorail extraordinarily safe as it is virtually impossible to derail. The center of gravity is low (the motors are mounted below the guide wheels), enabling it to turn tight corners at high speed and to withstand high cross-winds. The monorail, with its unique suspension and with a special version of the linear motor, is expected to be capable of 300 MPH in some corridors. The linear motor's reaction rail is mounted on the guideway beam, and its coils are mounted on the vehicle.

Cabin Design The interior is open throughout its length, like an aircraft's cabin. Think of the maglift monorail as having a flexible fuselage. The cabin is 10' wide - about the same as MD Super 80 aircraft. The picture shows a typical urban system configuration.