LHR PRT 6 Station Exterior

Heathrow PRT station exterior and T-Pod operation.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• prt
• personal
• rapid
• transit
• lhr
• heathrow
• t5
• podcar
• guideway
• prtguru
• monorail

[PodcarGuru]

Yes, there are significant innovations. No drivers are required, energy used is about a third of buses, trips are non-stop, 70% of passengers have no wait at all while the remainder wait less than a minute, it never gets stuck in traffic, operating costs are about 60% of buses, everybody gets a seat.

[charlieiscool1000]

this is really cool how new is it?

[PodcarGuru]

@charlieiscool1000 Its is brand new. Just received safety certification to carry the public last week. Should go into full service in June 2010

[cprich22]

im guessing that this was a test run?

[PodcarGuru]

Yes, the system is under test and slated to be open to the public around the end of this year.

[ahoog69]

Indeed, PRT will happen! We need (more) courageous politicians with the will to implement this system over simply adding more buses or taxis to the roads, or spending ridiculous amounts of money on subways systems (as they are doing here in L.A.) that will take 10+ years to complete.

[MrSquareart]

Need to expand the system to more area around heathrow!!!!

[BriagoMoore1]

A system just like this has been in continual operation since the 70s in Morgantown, West Virginia.

google: Morgantown_Personal_Rapid_Tran­sit

[lastcontinent]

ducklip alien

[mphello]

I think this is a wonderful thing, and it looks wonderfully futuristic, but, OTHER than being run on pure electricity rather than fossil fuels, which is absolutely critical to reduce greenhouse gasses, how is this any different than a bus or taxi or tram? Is there some innovation here?

[theprodigy203702]

@teta809 That is a big concern, but has a few very simple solutions. First of all, allow car manufacturers to get into the PRT business as well. I'm thinking have a very few companies make standardized, mass-produced, lego-like rails and allow car companies to develop different electric/mag-lev/wheeled cars for different system needs. For instance, high-traffic area with many different directions would need much smaller, more agile, and faster cars than longer distances with fewer destinations.

[marvelfan1234567890]

that airport is soooo fat that it needs a monorail system great cuss, !! but the question is will heathrow take that?

[cabidas]

@PodcarGuru It's a bit slow ey?

[teta809]

This may never happen in a major city because the government will be worried for the car manufacturers-