Abstract: In order to transfer long vehicles upon a ground surface and more particularly railway carriages or wagons, use is made of platforms which glide over the ground by means of fluid cushions and which carry track sections for receiving vehicle wheels. Two or more such platforms which are movable independently of each other, are mutually positioned so that the respective track sections are in extension of each other and are assigned to the vehicle front wheel system and to the vehicle rear wheel system respectively, each platform being independently lockable with the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention has to do with a system designed to support and/or guide a ground effect machine (1) along a supporting surface (2).This system consists of structure (4) carrying a load (F), a floating partition (5) holding the cushion (9) and a flexible partition (10) defining laterally between the structure (4) and the partition (5) an enclosure of suspension (13) having a variable volume which is connected with the cushion (9) through calibrated orifices (6). The enclosure of suspension (13) has a convergent-divergent configuration, for example biconic. The area of the base (S), the area (S.sub.o) at the level of the collar (15) and the angle (.theta.) of the enclosure (13) are predetermined and remain constant.