Tech & Sci
22:01, 08-May-2018
World’s first railless electric train given trial run in China
["china"]
Share
Copied
00:56
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
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.
1377km