The Mini Elevated cTrain (caterpillar trains) mass transit design concept created by Jacob Innovations LLC was selected as finalist at the MIT Climate CoLab competition from 29 submissions in the Transportation category.
While elevated trains have been around for more than a century the cTrain design seeks to resolve the impediments that have stopped elevated trains and monorails from bringing a comprehensive solution to public transport.
The cTrain model is designed to minimize the visual impact on the urban landscape while maintaining the experience of riding a train. The cTrain includes essential features such as the use arches for supporting structures as well as travel both above and below the same set of tracks, minimal height and width of the trains to limit weight and other features.
The cTrain infrastructure can be built quickly and cheaply using concrete poles connected by arches on opposite sides of a sidewalk. Except for the software and electronics for automation, the cTrain can be built on technology as old as the advent of the electric motor.
The goal of the cTrain design to create a model that brings a comprehensive solution for mass transit by meeting a number of essential requirements:
- Accessibility from within an acceptable walking distance.
- Frequency at a reasonable wait times.
- Speed at acceptable levels
- Comfort and privacy.
- Cost level acceptable to passenger.
- Emissions and noise free mass transit.
Dr. Ashwani Kumar (PhD form MIT in Transportation and planning officer for the Indian government) will present a paper about the cTrain at the 14th World Conference on Transport Research - 10-15 July 2016 | Shanghai, China.
Voting for the proposal can be done at http://climatecolab.org/contests/2016/transportation/c/proposal/1329506
