class411
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Post by class411 on Apr 23, 2017 8:43:28 GMT
Had a couple of trips on this newly (March) opened mini-metro line connecting Pisa Airport with its main station. It's quite short with just one intervening stop and a flat fare of ~£2.20. Points of interest are the very unusual 'rails' which look to be dead flat topped and around a foot wide. I couldn't make out how the thing was steered as there is no way to see the track closely either on the train or at the stations (PED's). It clearly gets its power from underneath, but, again, I could not make out the exact details. The second point of interest is an extremely steep slope just outside the airport station. The little train accelerated away and then slowed right down before it descended. It was impossible not to anthropomorphise and think it was summoning courage for the descent. Both features can be seen (albeit not too clearly) in this photograph.  |
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Apr 23, 2017 12:06:39 GMT
According to the people who make the bogies it's a cable-driven system, and the photo on that page clearly shows it has rubber tyres. I can't see guidewheels of any sort, so I'm guessing there is very little lateral movement between cable, track and train so it provides guidance as well as propulsion? |
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Post by Colin D on Apr 23, 2017 15:20:57 GMT
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class411
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Post by class411 on Apr 23, 2017 16:38:24 GMT
It could well be cable driven.
I noticed a cable that seemed to vibrate quite purposefully for about 15-20m in front of the train.
The ride on this is extremely smooth, but then it is quite new.
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Post by Chris W on Apr 23, 2017 16:45:48 GMT
class411
Hopefully you enjoyed climbing up and down the leaning tower...
It's a surreal building as during your climb of the spiral staircase, you find yourself climbing downwards...
And whilst as you wander down, the tilt of the building makes it feel that you're climbing...
It really messes with your senses  |
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Post by countryman on Apr 23, 2017 16:58:08 GMT
Sorry to go a bit off topic. In the Austrian Tyrol, there is a tourist attraction which is an upside-down house. Not only is it upside-down, but it is also at an angle. When I came out of that I felt really peculiar, and that feeling, including slight nausea, lasted a couple of hours.
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Post by John Tuthill on Apr 23, 2017 17:26:56 GMT
Sorry to go a bit off topic. In the Austrian Tyrol, there is a tourist attraction which is an upside-down house. Not only is it upside-down, but it is also at an angle. When I came out of that I felt really peculiar, and that feeling, including slight nausea, lasted a couple of hours. Was this before or after a visit to the schnapps factory? |
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Post by johnb2 on Apr 23, 2017 20:59:48 GMT
I wonder if the guiding is done by another rubber tyre running against the vertical edge of the 'rails'. If you look closely at the left hand 'rail' there is a blackish stripe just down from the running face.
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Apr 23, 2017 23:31:53 GMT
johnb2 now you mention it. That is the method clearly shown for the Toronto system at the link Colin D posted about, and the two do seem to share a general design.
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Post by brigham on Apr 24, 2017 7:41:09 GMT
Sorry to go a bit off topic. In the Austrian Tyrol, there is a tourist attraction which is an upside-down house. Not only is it upside-down, but it is also at an angle. When I came out of that I felt really peculiar, and that feeling, including slight nausea, lasted a couple of hours. I used to drink in a leaning, distorted pub in Manchester when I was a student, before ALL pubs became distorted! |
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Apr 24, 2017 8:57:20 GMT
johnb2 now you mention it. That is the method clearly shown for the Toronto system at the link Colin D posted about, and the two do seem to share a general design. If you zoom the image, there appears to be a yellow wheel running against the side of the 'track'. |
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Post by harbour on Apr 24, 2017 9:32:52 GMT
There is a page about the bogie system here |
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