World’s first railless electric train given trial run in China

[TaiShang]

World’s first railless electric train given trial run in China

By Guo Meiping
1377km to Beijing
2018-05-08


The world's first railless electric train began test operations in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, on Tuesday.

It combines the advantages of modern buses with those of trains and can be precisely controlled with a set of virtual tracks laid out on urban roads.

How are railless electric trains different?

The railless electric train looks just like tramcar. Based on the amount of passengers, the train can be split into three to five carriages, each carrying up to 100 people.

Powered by electricity, the train can run at a speed of 70km/h, much like modern streetcars, and travel 25 kilometers on only a 10-minute charge.

Combining the advantages of modern buses, the train can be precisely controlled with a set of virtual tracks on urban roads. /Photo via VCG

Although called "railless", the train follows an invisible "rail" based on a system dubbed Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), which was developed by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive. Using sensors, the system can identify painted lines on roads and the train can then plan its own routes and operate without a driver.

With no need for rails and pipelines, the train can run on urban roads like buses and cars, and, although no manual operation is needed when changing lanes or making turns, a driver will be on board to ensure safety.

According to Hubei Daily, the train will run autonomously under the guide of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in the future.

 

[Cybernetics]

I think this is a way to ease the market into adopting autonomous busses. Its more of a marketing strategy. "Rail" sounds more reassuring to the masses when in reality public transit busses follow a set path as well, the difference being that this one has the ability to avoid what is in its path.

 

[JSCh]

 

[TaiShang]

I think this is a way to ease the market into adopting autonomous busses. Its more of a marketing strategy. "Rail" sounds more reassuring to the masses when in reality public transit busses follow a set path as well, the difference being that this one has the ability to avoid what is in its path.

I think this tech saves a lot of investment in producing, laying and maintaining tracks.

And, as you say, it may be a cursory technology to future autonomous public transportation.

 

[siegecrossbow]

How is this different from a bus functionality wise? In fact aren't there more restrictions since it is limited to virtual track? One benefit I guess is that you do not need to build dedicated rails, but this train can't carry as many people as the average commuter train either.

 

[KapitaanAli]

How is this different from a bus functionality wise? In fact aren't there more restrictions since it is limited to virtual track? One benefit I guess is that you do not need to build dedicated rails, but this train can't carry as many people as the average commuter train either.

That it requires more maintenance.

It's being built by a state owned company. So maybe it's not a scam like the old elevated bus. It could be useful as a precursor to autonomous transport, but at present, its scope is very limited and wasteful.

 

[Kai Liu]

 

[TaiShang]

That it requires more maintenance.

How do you know? It may require less maintenance because no track laying.

So maybe it's not a scam like the old elevated bus. It could be useful as a precursor to autonomous transport, but at present, its scope is very limited and wasteful.

Maybe. Maybe the elevated bus was not a scam but a private venture, like millions that happen around the world with more failures than success.

Looks very smooth and adds to the city landscape. I do not, personally, like tracks being paved in the middle of the road shared by other cars and passengers.

 

[8888888888888]

Any advantage using this over a normal bus?

 

[TaiShang]

Any advantage using this over a normal bus?

Much bigger capacity. Potentially able to carry 300-500 people in 3-5 carriages.

I think normal bus is not able to do it.

I believe, in the future, they will try driverless technology on this, as well.

 

[qwerrty]

not impressed. in country down south of china, their trains can run many miles at high speed without engine

 

[rishav]

so it's a train which is basically an extended articulated bus . Previously they had launched a bus which was actually a train . It will however be impressive if and when it starts driverless operations . Till then it's just a BRT

 

[TaiShang]

World's first driverless rapid bus begins trial run

(People's Daily Online) 14:22, May 10, 2018

A “smart bus” called the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit, or ART, started a three-month trial run in central China on May 8. It is the world's first driverless rapid bus, National Business Daily.com.cn reported.

ART was developed by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co, a subsidiary of China Railway Rolling Stock Corp. The phase-one buses have three carriages, and can carry up to 100 people per carriage.

The vehicle runs without the need for rail and carries as heavy a load as a train, providing a new transportation model in large and medium-sized cities.

Furthermore, the cost to build one kilometer of standard ART is only one-fifth of that for traditional tram systems, which cost 150 million yuan ($22.6 million) to 200 million yuan per km.

ART has an advantage over traditional tram systems in small-and medium-sized cities because it’s cheaper and takes less time to build.

Yibin City in southwest China’s Sichuan province signed an agreement to introduce the smart vehicle in the city on May 8, according to the city mayor.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0510/c90000-9458686.html

@rishav

 

[Adam WANG SHANGHAI MEGA]

NEW creation may not be 100% successful but always welcomed,who said wechat.and alibaba would succed 20 years ago!