Rail Concept Allows Passengers To Transfer Between Moving Trains

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From PSFK:

We often see it in action flicks where the antagonist changes trains by jumping across the two moving carriages. Now, a new rail concept will allow everyday passengers to do just that: transfer between two moving trains simply by stepping out the door. The Moving Platforms concept was created by designer Paul Priestman, who wanted to demonstrate convenience in switching lines between high-speed trains without the need for station platforms.

When it^s time for the passengers to transfer, the two trains we begin traveling at the same speed and connect at a dedicated transfer walkway. Once the doors open, passengers can simply step across.

Priestman explains that: "I^m under no illusion that Moving Platforms is a big idea, but if we really want high-speed rail to be successful and change the way we travel, getting people off the roads and reducing the number of short haul flights, it is imperative that the infrastructure we use works with, not against, this new technology to enable a seamless passenger journey from start to destination."

[JayMac]

A similar idea was posited by Mr Dundridge a civil servant in the Transport Ministry in the TV version of Tom Sharpe's Blott on the Landscape. With 'non-interruptive constant flow subway transportation'. That idea (and other fanciful transport solutions) got him moved to the roads department as 'motorway controller'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iradh_Mdib8&feature=related

Forward to 10:14.

[Rhydgaled]

"Rail Concept Allows Passengers To Transfer Between Moving Trains"

We've been able to do that with sensibly designed regional DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) (eg. 158s and 150/2s, not 170s, 175s and 150/1s) for years by simply joining two units together. Then passengers can move between trains, without getting cold and wet, while the train is moving. The two units can then detach at a later station to serve different places.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Am I dreaming or many years ago did some railway lines (many years ago) use a facility called "slipping" to detach coaches from trains whilst they were moving? In fact I have just found This http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slip_coach which indicates I'm not as senile as I first thought.

I seem to remember this was used on the railway line which passed through where I used to live (Banbury to Cheltenham)

[paul7575]

The opposite of slip coaches, for connecting trains up again in the return direction never caught on though.

The big rubber bands on the station catapults regularly snapped...   

Paul

[Tim]

I seem to remember this was used on the railway line which passed through where I used to live (Banbury to Cheltenham)

The last slip was a Bicester North in 1960

[eightf48544]

I saw one of the last Reading Up slips. Train ran throough Platform 5 with the slip coach rolling in behind and being stopped in the middle of the platform. Then one of the station pilots then had to remove it. So quite a time consumming process.

It was why there was a distant signal under the home signal for Platform 5 to indicate the platform starter was off and the train had a clear road.

And on topic would the moving transfer platform be DDA^» (Disability Discrimination Act - about) compliant. It just about works for the London Eye but there are few passengers for each pod and lots of staff to help. Can't see it working with  couple of hundred people crossing both ways between trains  unless platform was incredibly long and moved quite slowly.

You don't need it I've a nice clip of video of and ICE1 rolling down the platform at Mannheim when a 120 on an IC^▸ (Inter City) appears very fast on the next line and rolls down the opposite face of the same platform. they both stop at about the same time. Now that's how to run a railway.

[tramway]

The original reason for the central road at Bath as I understand.

[grahame]

As Paul7755 comments, One of the big problem with slip carriages was that they were unidirectional - great from Paddington dropping a carriage at Little Smuttering on the way to Easton_super_stallion, but not so good on the way back .... the slip carriage couldn't accelerate from the station after the return train had sped by, catch up and couple up. There are, of course, modern times where this sort of unidirectional problem still applies ... Plusbus is great for a ticket from Paddington via Swindon to the Dog and Duck near Washpool.   But get onto the bus towards Swindon at the Dog and Duck, and I doubt that the driver will be able to sell you a plusbus ticket to Paddington.

We've been able to do that with sensibly designed regional DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) ...

Yes, but they then stop to uncouple, and the throughput is very limited.   I was on a five car train from Weymouth (158 + 150 + 153) splitting at Westbury in late August, and a decision was taken at around Castle Cary to send the front forward to Swindon and the rear to Bristol, when over 400 people had got on at Weymouth thinking it was the other way ... push chairs, adult wheelchair or two, hundreds (literally) of children.   Really needed two wide corridors through the train, which on the British loading gauge would have left no space for any seats.

[Rhydgaled]

We've been able to do that with sensibly designed regional DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) ...

Yes, but they then stop to uncouple, and the throughput is very limited.   I was on a five car train from Weymouth (158 + 150 + 153) splitting at Westbury in late August, and a decision was taken at around Castle Cary to send the front forward to Swindon and the rear to Bristol, when over 400 people had got on at Weymouth thinking it was the other way ... push chairs, adult wheelchair or two, hundreds (literally) of children.   Really needed two wide corridors through the train, which on the British loading gauge would have left no space for any seats.

Good point, but I doubt there's any way changing trains on the move could be done better. It would help a bit if such services were always standardised so passengers know the leading unit always to destonation X and the other to destonation Y though.

On the lighter side, don't stop to uncouple, drop a unit off the back like a slip coach! That might even solve the reverse slip coach issue too, no need for catapults when you have a self-powered 158 or 377.