RAILWAYS AND LIFTS FOR PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS

Abstract

Embodiments related to a rail system for use with a personal rapid transit system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a railway may include a first rail configured to engage and support a bogie of a vehicle and a lift rail may be configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle. The lift rail, which may be a lift arm including a short section of rail that is attached at one end to a lift, may be configured to change a position of the lift rail to transition the vehicle between different desired positions. In another embodiment, a railway may include a first pair of main rails intersecting a second pair of main rails, where the second pair of main rails are divided by the first pair of main rails and a portion of the second pair of main rails are configured to hold one or more stationary vehicles.

Description

FIELD

Disclosed embodiments are related to railways for personal rapid transit systems and related methods of use.

BACKGROUND

Elevated railways are sometime employed to facilitate the use of transportation networks (e.g., trains) where there is existing infrastructure underneath the elevated railway. These conventional elevated railways are typically formed using two continuous parallel tracks with each track facilitating trains of vehicles moving in opposing directions.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a railway includes a first rail configured to engage and support a bogie of a vehicle, and a lift rail configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle. The lift rail is coupled to a lift configured to change a position of the lift rail between an auxiliary position and a track position. In the auxiliary position the first rail is not connected with the lift rail, and in the track position the first rail is connected with the lift rail.

In another embodiment, a railway includes a first pair of main rails extending in a first direction and a second pair of main rails extending in a second direction. The second pair of main rails intersect the first pair of main rails. A first portion of the second pair of main rails is non-continuous with a second portion of the second pair of main rails, and the first pair of main rails is disposed between the first and second portions of the second pair of main rails. The railway includes a plurality of connecting rails where each connecting rail extends between one of the first pair of main rails and an adjacent one of the second pair of main rails. The connecting rails do not cross over any of the first pair of main rails or second pair of main rails.

In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a railway includes: moving a first vehicle along a first main rail in a first direction; directing the first vehicle into a first secondary rail angled relative to the main rail; moving the first vehicle into a first lift rail connected with the first secondary rail; and changing a position of the first vehicle and lift rail.

In still another embodiment, a method of operating a railway includes: moving a first vehicle along a first main rail in a first direction; moving a second vehicle along the first main rail in the first direction spaced behind the first vehicle by a time and/or distance interval; determining the interval between the first and second vehicle; directing the first vehicle into a first rail angled relative to the main rail while moving in the first direction if the interval is below a threshold interval; and directing the first vehicle to stop, move along the main rail in a second direction opposite the first direction, and move into a second rail angled relative to the first main rail if the interval is greater than the threshold interval.

It should be appreciated that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts discussed below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the present disclosure is not limited in this respect. Further, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures may be represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of one embodiment of a vehicle (e.g., pod) and a vehicle control system;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the junction of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment of a turnaround rail;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the turnaround rail of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the junction of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway banked turn;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the banked turn of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway two-point turnaround;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the two-point turnaround of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of one embodiment of an angled landing junction for a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the angled landing junction of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14A is an elevation view of one embodiment of lifts for a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the lifts of FIG. 14A taken along line B-B;

FIG. 14C is an enlarged view of section C of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 14A;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway lift including bolsters;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of another embodiment of a landing junction;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the landing junction of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway including a plurality of landing junctions;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the grade-separated railway of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of another embodiment of a landing junction;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the landing junction of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of another embodiment of a landing junction;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the landing junction of FIG. 22;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart for one embodiment of a method of operating a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 25 is a flow chart for another embedment of a method of operating a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of another embodiment of a landing junction;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the landing junction of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway buffer;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the buffer of FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a plan view of one embodiment of a storage rail for a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 31 is an elevation view of the storage rail of FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of the storage rail of FIG. 30;

FIG. 33 is a plan view of a two-point turn for a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the two-point turn of FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway;

FIG. 36 is an elevation view of the grade-separated railway of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a plan view of the grade-separated railway of FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction;

FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the grade-separated railway junction of FIG. 38;

FIG. 40 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction;

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of the grade-separated railway junction of FIG. 40;

FIG. 42 is a plan view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction; and

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of the grade-separated railway junction of FIG. 42.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Conventional grade-separated railway systems are limited in scope and typically only provide service for a predetermined linear route. Large trains of vehicles are run at scheduled intervals along large tracks with dedicated rights of way. While typical grade-separate railways can accommodate some existing infrastructure, existing solutions are costly and can have negative externalities such as noise pollution, limiting pedestrian and bike access, limiting roadway space, and aesthetic blight. Most of these elevated railways also require large, expensive stations including stairs, escalators, and/or elevators to provide passenger access to the elevated trains.

In view of the above, the inventor has recognized the benefits of a grade-separated railway that accommodates smaller rail-based vehicles (e.g., pods) and that can fit in an urban space without incurring negative externalities to the extent that a conventional elevated railway would. In particular, the inventor has recognized the benefits of a grade-separated railway that may be suspended from poles placed near a sidewalk and road interface, and which may not use elevated platforms or large stations in some applications. In some instances, the grade-separated railway may be compact enough such that tracks may be laid across a large portion of the existing road infrastructure, allowing a single vehicle to navigate a non-linear point-to-point route (e.g., a personal rapid transit system).

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway includes a tubular rail and one or more poles coupled to the tubular rail that support the tubular rail above the ground. The tubular rail may include a two parallel bogie tracks formed inside of the tubular rail in the form of two flat surfaces extending along a length of the rail and located on opposing sides of a slot extending the length of the tubular rail. The two bogie tracks may be located on a bottom interior side of the tubular rail such that one or more wheels of the bogie may engage each track of the bogie to suspend a vehicle connected to the bogie via a linkage extending through the slot. The one or more poles may be coupled to a side portion of the tubular rail such that the tubular rail is cantilevered from the pole, providing clearance for vehicles moving along the tubular rail. The grade-separated railway may include one or more junctions where a tubular rail splits into two or more connected rails. At these junctions, a switching system may be employed to direct a vehicle into one of the two or more connected rails. In one embodiment, the vehicle itself may employ a steering system, whereby the vehicle may steer the wheels of a bogie disposed in the bogie track into a chosen path in the junction. In another embodiment, a track switching system may be employed whereby a switch is moved by an actuator disposed in the grade-separated railway itself. In still yet another embodiment, the vehicle may employ a switching system, where one or more actuators deploy guiding elements that capture passive elements formed in the grade-separated railway to selectively guide the vehicle into one of the two or more connected rails. Accordingly, any suitable switching or steering system for guiding a vehicle along a grade-separated railway may be used with the exemplary embodiments described herein as the present disclosure is not so limited.

As noted above, conventional elevated rail systems typically employ large stations with platforms that allow groups of passengers to queue for a large train which arrives at scheduled intervals. These stations are most often placed adjacent a main rail, such that a train stopped for loading or unloading prevents another train from overtaking. This arrangement oftentimes results in bunching, where a lead train takes more time to load and unload at a station, while an emptier train behind takes less time to load and unload. Accordingly, the following train can catch up to the lead train, at which point the following train needs to wait on the lead train at each station, causing delays and increasing wait times at stations further down the main rail.

In view of the above, the inventor has recognized the benefits of a compact vehicle lift system that allows one or more vehicles to be loaded at the ground level or other loading area in an urban landscape. In particular, the inventor has recognized the benefits of a rail lift system by which one or more vehicles may be offloaded from a main rail of a railway for loading, storing, or another appropriate purpose. Accordingly, vehicles undergoing loading, unloading, storage, and/or other operations do not disrupt travel on a main rail, avoiding the effects of bunching and cascading delays on a rail system. It should be understood that a lift may correspond to any appropriate structure including a lift rail that is selectively movable to move a vehicle traveling along the rail in any appropriate direction including both vertical and/or horizontal directions and may be constructed using any appropriate construction. Additionally, in some instances a lift may be referred to as an elevator.

In the embodiments described herein, a lift rail may refer to any appropriate construction of a rail that may be moved in a desired direction to move an associated vehicle between one or more desired positions. In some instances, a lift rail may be referred to as a lift arm where the rail is a relatively short section of rail with an one end portion attached to a lift integrated with, or attached to, a pole or other structure in a cantilevered arrangement. However, a lift rail and lift arm may be used interchangeably in the various embodiments disclosed herein as the disclosure is not limited to only using lift rails in a cantilevered arrangement. For example, a lift rail may include a section of rail that is attached at multiple locations to a lift mechanism positioned above and/or below the rail in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway includes a main rail and a secondary rail that extends from the main rail at a junction between the main rail and the secondary rail. The secondary rail may angled relative to the main rail. For example, a secondary rail may be angled relative to a main rail by any appropriate angle including both acute, oblique, and perpendicular angles relative to a primary direction of travel along the main rail. One such embodiment, the secondary rail may be angled relative to the primary direction of travel of the main rail by an angle between or equal to about 10° and 170°, 10° and 80°, 100° and 170°, and/or any other appropriate angle as the disclosure is not limited in this fashion. The secondary rail may also be coupled to a pole at one end of the secondary rail opposite the junction between the main rail and the secondary rail, where the pole at least partially supports both the main rail and secondary rail. The pole may also include a lift and a cantilevered lift rail configured to move up and down (e.g., in a vertical direction) along the pole. Alternatively, the lift rail may move the lift rail in a direction other than vertical to selectively move the lift rail into and out of connectivity with the secondary rail. In either case, the lift rail may be configured to connect to the secondary rail, such that a bogie of a vehicle supported by the main rail may move into the lift rail. Once in the lift rail, the lift rail and the bogie of the vehicle may be moved to a different position (e.g. a vertical position in a horizontal plane different from a horizontal plane in which the main rail may be disposed). In one embodiment, the lift may move the lift rail from a track position where the lift rail is connected to the secondary rail to a landing or loading position where the vehicle is accessible for passengers to load or unload from the vehicle. The lift may employ any suitable arrangement to facilitate moving the lift rail between positions, including, but not limited to, a cable system, hydraulics, electromagnets, and linear actuators.

In some embodiments, a lift may include a lift processor and lift communicator that allows the lift processor to communicate with a central processor of a railway system and/or individual vehicles. The lift processor may receive instructions from the central processor and/or an individual vehicle and may control the lift to modify the vertical position of a lift rail accordingly. For example, a central processor may instruct the lift processor to move the lift rail to a track position where the lift rail may receive an incoming vehicle. As another example, the lift processor may receive instructions from the central processor to move the lift rail to a storage position where a stored vehicle can move on to the lift rail. As yet another example, the lift processor may receive instructions from the central processor to move the lift rail to a landing or loading position where a vehicle supported on the lift rail is accessible at the ground level (or a landing level) to passengers for loading or unloading. In some embodiments, the vehicle may function as an intermediary relay between the central processor. That is, a vehicle processor may relay instructions from the central processor to the lift processor, though embodiments in which the vehicle sends instructions directly to a processor of a lift directly using any appropriate communication protocol is also contemplated.

The inventor has also recognized the benefits of a directional rail system, where vehicles in the rail system travel primarily in a single direction (e.g., forward). The seating or other passenger accommodations in a vehicle used with a grade-separated railway of exemplary embodiments described herein may be directionally oriented to facilitate passenger comfort during acceleration, deceleration, and turning experienced while moving along a distributed rail network for personal rapid transit. That is, similar to most automobiles, in some embodiments the passenger accommodations in a vehicle may be oriented in a first (e.g., front), direction. Such an arrangement may facilitate passenger comfort while enabling higher acceleration transit and maneuvers in a grade-separated railway system, thereby improving throughput.

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway may include one or more turn-around rails to facilitate the directional movement of one or more vehicles operating in the grade-separated railway. In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway may include a first main rail having a first direction of travel and a second main rail having a second different direction of travel which may be opposite the first direction of travel in some embodiments. In one embodiment, the grade-separated railway may include a turnaround rail that connects the first main rail to the second main rail. The turnaround rail may form an arc over an appropriate angular range to permit the desired reorientation of a vehicle traveling along the turnaround rail. For example, the arc may span an angle between about 90 degrees and 270 degrees depending on the relative directions of the first and second main rails. Accordingly, a vehicle traveling down the first main rail may transition from moving in the first direction on the first main rail onto the turnaround rail and subsequently onto the second main rail. To facilitate this movement, the turnaround may cross over or under the first and second main rails in a horizontal plane offset from the plane(s) of the first main rail and second main rail in a vertical direction.

In another embodiment, a grade-separated railway including a first main rail and a second main rail may include a two-point turn facilitated by two lift rails to enable a change in the direction of travel of a vehicle. According to this embodiment, the first main rail may be connected to a first secondary rail extending from the main rail at an angle (e.g., between about 10 degrees and 90 degrees). Likewise, the second main rail may be connected to a separate second secondary rail extending from the second main rail at angle (e.g., between about 10 degrees and 90 degrees). In some cases where the first main rail and second main rail are parallel, the first and second secondary rails may extend at equal angles from the first main rail and second main rail, respectively. Each of the secondary rails may be connected with a cantilevered lift rail configured to change the vertical position of a vehicle supported by the lift rail. A transitional rail may span an arc between the first and second secondary rails in a horizontal plane different from that occupied by the first main rail and second main rail. The lifts may facilitate the movement of a pod from the first rail, into the secondary rail and associated lift rail, and up or down to the transitional rail. The vehicle may reverse into the transitional rail as it traverses the arc, turning the vehicle to face in second different direction. Once facing in the second direction, the vehicle may continue to reverse into the other lift rail located on an opposing end of the transitional rail, whereupon the lift rail my move the vehicle vertically until the lift rail is connected with the second secondary rail. Once the lift rail is connected to the second secondary rail, the vehicle may move onto the second main rail, which in some embodiments, may be substantially opposite to the direction traveled on the first main rail. Such an arrangement may allow a turnaround system to be integrated in a small lateral space for a rail-based vehicle.

In conventional railway systems, vehicles are typically stored in one or more storage facilities at the termini of the line. For example, trainsets are stored in large yards, where maintenance and testing are also performed. As conventional railways are linear, providing a train at a central location requires a train to travel the distance from the yard at the termini to the central station, meaning that in some instances of a train failure there could result in significant delays in supplying a replacement train from a yard. Moreover, such an arrangement dictates a scheduled service where trains are spaced at regular intervals, so that any service interruptions caused by a single train can be mitigated by trains following immediately behind, rather than a train dispatched from a yard.

In view of the above, the inventor has also recognized the benefits of a grade-separated railway system having one or more buffer or storage systems to allow vehicles to be staged when not in use near one or more loading zones or areas of interest. That is, a grade-separated railway system that allows vehicles to be stored near areas of high demand may allow the grade-separated railway service to rapidly dispatch vehicles to fulfill passenger demand. Such an arrangement may facilitate a point-to-point, on-demand personal rapid transit service.

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway includes a main rail and a secondary rail extending at an angle from the main rail. The secondary rail may be coupled to a pole which also includes a lift rail cantilevered from the pole and movable by a lift as described above. The grade-separated railway may also include a storage rail offset from the main rail. In some instances, the storage rail may be disposed in a different horizontal plane from the main rail. For example, in some embodiments, the storage rail may be parallel to the main rail in the same vertical plane (i.e. above or below the main rail), such that the storage rail does not occupied additional lateral space compared to the main rail and secondary rail by themselves. However, other arrangements are also contemplated. In either case, the lift rail may be movable by the lift to connect the lift rail to the storage rail, such that a vehicle on the main rail may move from the main rail onto the secondary rail, a subsequently from the second rail onto the lift rail, and finally from the second rail onto the storage rail. In some embodiments, the storage rail may accommodate a plurality of vehicles.

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway may include a main rail and a secondary rail offset from and substantially parallel to the main rail. The secondary rail may be connected to the main rail by two connecting rails which extend at an angle relative to the main rail between the main rail and the second rail. According to this arrangement, the secondary rail may function as a siding where one or more vehicles can move off the main rail and pause or loiter on the secondary rail. Such an arrangement may be beneficial for staging vehicles near a landing area, as a staged vehicle may quickly move on and off the main rail.

The inventor has also recognized the benefits of a grade-separated railway system employing multi-purpose junctions to facilitate navigation of a distributed rail network while reducing space occupied by the railway. For example, a grade-separated railway junction may also perform a buffering function so that vehicles may be temporarily stored and supplied on demand to one or more nearby landing areas. In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway junction includes a first pair of main rails extending in a first direction and a second pair of main rails extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The first pair of main rails may be continuous, while the second pair of rails is divided into two portions by the first pair of rails. The grade-separated railway may include four connecting rails, each extending between one of the first pair of main rails and one of the second pair of main rails, where the connecting rails do not cross over or under the first pair of main rails or second pair of main rails. Portions of the second pair of main rails between the junction and the connecting rails may function as buffer or storage rails, where vehicles can be staged or otherwise offloaded from a main portion of the rail. Such an arrangement may allow vehicles to be temporarily directed into the buffer or storage rails, and then reversed out of the buffer or storage rails to proceed onward to a demanded location.

In some embodiments, junctions and other elements of a railway according to exemplary embodiments described herein may be arranged to fit within an area the size of a standard sidewalk. That is, a grade-separated railway system may be primarily disposed over the sidewalks as opposed to over a main roadway. Of course in some instances, a sidewalk may not have space to accommodate a landing platform for a vehicle. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the railway, associated landing platform, vehicle, and other appropriate components may be sized and shaped to fit within one or several standard automobile parking spaces, though any appropriate size both bigger and smaller than this may also be used. In some instances, such a location positioned adjacent to a curb of a sidewalk where a landing may be positioned may be referred to as a bump-out. According to such an arrangement, the grade-separated railway may more easily fit within existing infrastructure where the railway is not interfering with regular road use, and is instead built along a boundary between the road and a sidewalk. Such railway systems may also include asymmetric elements (e.g., connecting rails) that accommodate the shape and size of an existing urban area as illustrated further below in regards to the figures.

In some embodiments, a grade-separated railway and vehicle system may include a grade-separated railway from which one or more vehicles are supported. While certain functions may be controlled locally by one or more processors located onboard a vehicle, in some embodiments, a centralized control of the railway and associated vehicles may be implemented. For example, a central processor (or set of processors) may be configured to transmit and receive data to and from the one or more vehicles using any suitable communication protocol, including, but not limited to, wireless protocols and wired protocols. The central processor may control the movement of each of the vehicles operating on the grade-separated railway system, including speed, spacing, and in some instances overall navigation planning of each vehicle. Each of the vehicles may include a plurality of sensors configured to sense the grade-separated railway and its environment. Correspondingly, the one or more vehicle processors may also provide the sensor data to the central processor including information such as speed data, location data, and spacing data. The vehicle processors may control operation of the vehicle based on information received from the central processor, other vehicles, and/or the sensors to travel to a desired destination.

According to exemplary railway systems described herein, a method of operating a grade-separated railway may include selecting a path to a landing area based on the demand and total throughput of a main rail adjacent the landing area. That is, depending on the spacing of vehicles (in time or distance) and the speed of the vehicles, a vehicle may select one or more routes to a destination landing area. In one embodiment, a method may include moving a first vehicle along a main rail in a first direction, and moving a second vehicle along the main rail in the first direction but spaced from the first vehicle. The spacing between the vehicles may be characterized by distance or time for recorded speeds of the vehicles. In either case, the central processor may be configured to determine a time period available for a maneuver to move the vehicle into a loading zone. For example, in some embodiments, a main rail with a primary direction of travel may be connected to a first rail extending at an acute angle relative to the primary direction of travel and a second rail extending at an oblique angle relative to the primary direction of travel. Put another way, the first rail is accessible while a vehicle is moving in the primary direction of travel, whereas the second rail is only accessible if the vehicle is moving in the opposite direction along the first main rail. Accordingly, a vehicle moving into the first rail may be able to do so in less time than a vehicle moving into the second rail. Correspondingly, a vehicle departing the first rail may take a longer period of time than a vehicle departing the second rail due to the vehicle backing up from the first rail onto the main rail. Accordingly, based on the determined spacing between the first and second vehicles the first vehicle may be directed into the first rail if the spacing is below a threshold amount (in time or space), or into the second rail if the spacing is above the threshold amount.

In some embodiments, a method for directing a vehicle in a loading zone, storing zone, or buffering zone may include determining the positioning and spacing of vehicles on a main rail. If the spacing is below a lower threshold amount, a vehicle on a connected rail may be held on that rail. If the vehicle to be directed onto the main rail is on a rail which allows the vehicle to move in a primary direction to merge onto the main rail, the vehicle may merge onto the main rail when the spacing is below a higher threshold amount but above the lower threshold amount. If the vehicle to be directed onto the main rail is on a rail which requires that the vehicle reverse onto the main rail and then proceed in the primary direction, the vehicle may be directed onto the main rail when the spacing is above the higher threshold amount. Such a method when combined with the arrival of vehicles at a loading zone as discussed above allows vehicles to merge onto and depart a main rail efficiently while reducing slowdowns on the main rail.

It should be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the various components of a grade-separated railway system described herein may be used in any suitable combination. That is, each of the railway system elements including, for example, the main rails, secondary rails, tertiary rails, turning arrangements, buffer rails, storage rails, lifts, as well as other components and methods described herein may be combined in any number of different arrangements to form a desired distributed railway system.

It should be noted that while exemplary embodiments are described herein as a grade-separated railway and make use of verticality in open air with a vehicle suspended below an associated rail, the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. For example, the systems and methods described herein may be employed for ground level railways, suspended railways, elevated railways, underground railways, and/or any other appropriate railway capable of supporting a vehicle as it travels along the rail. That is, the various elements of the railways described herein may allow subterranean railways to be constructed with the same or similar layout to the grade-separated railways described herein. As one example, the vehicles may be disposed on top of an underground rail (or suspended from an underground rail) and a lift may move the vehicle from underground to the surface. Thus, a grade-separated railway may refer to any rail arrangement where the rails are located in different horizontal planes either above or below one another using any appropriate combination of one or more components located underground, above ground, and/or at grade (i.e. ground level). Additionally, while grade-separated railways are primarily discussed, ground-based implementations are contemplated which employ the use of lifts that move vehicles via a lift rail laterally in a horizontal plane rather than only in a vertical direction. Accordingly, the railways described herein are not limited to use only with grade-separated railways with hanging vehicles. However, there are various advantages, including space and size, associated with a railway constructed to suspend a vehicle from the railway due to the ability to lower a vehicle to a ground level for boarding and/or other operations.

While a particular railway and rail construction are described above and depicted in the figures with a bogie located within a tubular rail, it should be understood that any appropriate railway and rail construction may be used to support a vehicle for the various embodiments described herein. Accordingly, even though the various embodiments are depicted as being used to suspend a vehicle beneath the rail with a bogie disposed within the rail, the disclosure is not limited to only this type of construction. Accordingly, any appropriate construction of a rail and associated bogie, or other drive system, may be used including for example: rails engaged with flanged wheels; wheels captured in correspondingly shaped rails; guideways for an elevated and suspended vehicle where a bogie is enclosed within the guideway with the vehicle suspended below the bogie and guideway similar to the embodiment described above; a rail with a bogie enclosing a portion of the rail; and/or any other appropriate rail construction capable of supporting a vehicle in a desired orientation as it travels along a railway as the disclosure is not limited to any particular railway arrangement or construction.

As used herein, “vertical” is relative to a direction of local gravity. That is, a vertical plane is aligned with a local gravity vector, and moving up or down in this vertical plane is moving with or against the force of gravity. As used herein, “horizontal” refers to a direction of movement orthogonal to the vertical direction. In particular, a horizontal plane is perpendicular to the vertical plane, as defined by local gravity.

Turning to the figures, specific non-limiting embodiments are described in further detail. It should be understood that the various systems, components, features, and methods described relative to these embodiments may be used either individually and/or in any desired combination as the disclosure is not limited to only the specific embodiments described herein.

FIG. 1 is a schematic of one embodiment of a vehicle 100 (e.g., a pod) and a pod control system. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle includes a vehicle body 102 configured to carry one or more passengers. The vehicle includes a processor 104 configured to execute computer readable instructions stored in memory 106. The vehicle also includes a communications module 108 (e.g., a wireless transceiver) configured to allow the processor 104 to communicate with a central control system which is disposed remotely from the vehicle. The pod also includes at least one sensor 110 configured to collect information about the environment and provide the sensed information to the processor 104. For example, in one embodiment, the sensor 110 may include a radar or laser rangefinder for providing spacing information to the processor, a global positioning system (GPS) for location information, look ahead sensors for sensing information about the rail (e.g. cameras, laser rangefinders, radar, or other appropriate system), and/or any other desired sensor. The processor 104 may use such information to avoid collisions, control the speed of the vehicle, and control travel of the vehicle along a rail. According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the vehicle includes a motorized bogie 112 which is configured to ride along an overhead rail with the vehicle body suspended below the bogie and rail. One or more motors disposed in the bogie 112 may be controlled by the processor 104 to control movement of the vehicle along a rail using any appropriate drive and/or steering systems, including the depicted motorized wheel bogie depicted in the figure. As shown in FIG. 1, the bogie is coupled to the vehicle body 102 via one or more central connections 103. Again, the bogie may be driven and steered along the rail and junctions between rails using any desired arrangement of active and/or passive steering systems including for example, actively steered bogie wheels, passive rail/wheel guidance, active switches at junctions, and/or any other appropriate steering arrangement as the present disclosure is not so limited.

As also illustrated in FIG. 1, a vehicle 100 may be controlled remotely by a remotely located central server 116. The remote server may include a central processor 118 (e.g., in a computer) and a database or memory 120. The central processor may be configured to execute one or more computer readable instructions stored on the memory 120. The remote server is configured to receive information from the vehicle 100 (e.g., from sensors 110). The remote server is also configured to transmit instructions to the vehicle 100 which may be interpreted by the vehicle processor 104. The central server may determine vehicle routes, speed, spacing, and/or any other suitable parameter. Communication between the remote server and the vehicle may be conducted using any suitable wireless or wired protocol (or a combination thereof). According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the remote server may communicate to a communications tower 114, or other appropriate receiver, which functions as an intermediary relay between the remote server and the vehicle 100. In particular, the remote server communicates with the tower 114 via wireless communications and/or a wire 122. The tower 114 communicates with the vehicle 100 wirelessly, and may communicate wirelessly with a plurality of vehicles that are all coordinated with the remote server 116. Of course, any suitable communications and control arrangement for a plurality of vehicles on a railway may be employed, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

FIG. 2 is a plan view and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction 200. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, the junction is a 4-way junction between two pairs of main rails. A first pair of main rails 210 extend adjacent one another in a first direction. In particular, the first pair of main rails are parallel to one another and extend continuously through the junction. A second pair of main rails 208 extend in a second direction which may be orthogonal to the first pair of rails 210. Of course, in other embodiments the first pair of rails and second pair of rails may be angled relative to one another at any suitable angle (e.g., between 15 and 90 degrees), as the present disclosure is not so limited. The first pair of main rails 210 and second pair of main rails 208 are support by a plurality of poles 204 which elevate the rails above a ground surface. According to the embodiment shown, the rails are supported via cantilevered beams disposed at the top of the poles 204 which are joined to a side portion of each of the rails. The first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails are interconnected by four connecting rails 202. Each of the connecting rails connects one of the first pair of main rails and one of the second pair of main rails, where none of the connecting rails cross over or under any of the main rails. According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the connecting rails are in the same plane as the main rails and form an arc of 90 degrees between the main rails. Thus, the connecting rails effectively form a right-turn when a forward travel direction is on the rightmost rail relative to each pod. Of course, in other embodiments the connecting rails, first pair of main rails, and second pair or main rails may be disposed in any number of horizontal planes, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, the first pair of main rails 210 and second pair of main rails 208 are disposed in the same plane and the second pair of main rails is bisected by the first pair of main rails. That is, the second pair of main rails are divided into two portions, and a vehicle cannot remain on one of the second pair of main rails to cross the junction. Instead, one or more storage rails 206 are connected to the discontinuous portions of the second pair of main rails at a location disposed between a junction of the connection rails 202 and the first pair of main rails. The storage rails may be employed to store unused vehicles 100 on the grade-separated railway system or otherwise provide a buffer of idle vehicles at the junction. Such an arrangement may allow vehicles to be rapidly summoned to a location nearby the junction.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, vehicles 100 may be moved forward into the storage rails or reversed into the storage rails 206. That is, if a vehicle is traveling on one of the second pair of main rails toward the junction, a vehicle may proceed onto the storage rail 206 instead of moving onto a connecting rail. Alternatively, if a vehicle is moving along one of the first pair of main rails 210, the vehicle may move onto a connecting rail to transition to one of the second pair of main rails where the vehicle is moving in a direction away from the junction. Once on one of the second pair of main rails, the vehicle may stop and reverse into the storage rail 206 associated with the rail the vehicle is on. These two storage methods may allow a vehicle to be stored quickly or a vehicle to depart storage more quickly. That is, for some of the storage rails the vehicles may enter storage without changing directions, while for others a vehicle reverses direction to move onto the storage rail. Likewise, for some of the storage rails the vehicle may depart storage without changing direction, while for the others a vehicle reverses and then changes directions to exit the storage rail. Accordingly, a remote server may direct vehicles to a particular storage area depending on vehicle spacing and frequency so as to best prevent backups or slow-downs as a result of storing idle vehicles.

It should be noted that as the junction of FIGS. 2-3 does not permit straight travel in the direction of the second pair of main rails 208, a vehicle may transition onto one of the first pair of main from a first section of the second pair of main rails and then utilize a turnaround rail, or other rail configuration, to allow the vehicle to reverse direction on the first pair of main rails prior to using one of the connecting rails to transition back onto the second opposing portion of the second pair of main rails to continue traveling in the desired direction. Some exemplary turnaround elements are discussed further below.

FIG. 4 is a plan view and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a turnaround rail 214. As shown in FIGS. 4-5, the turnaround rail 214 is coupled to a first rail 212A and a second rail 212B. According to the depicted embodiment, the first rail and second rail are parallel to another and disposed in the same horizontal plane, i.e. they are located at the same height. Of course, other arrangements are contemplated in which the first rail 212A and second rail 212B are angled relative to each other (e.g., between 0 and 90 degrees) and/or disposed in different planes. As shown in FIG. 5, the turnaround rail 214 extends above the horizontal plane of the first and second rails, and in particular crosses over the first and second rails to allow a vehicle 100 to transition from traveling along the first rail in a first direction to traveling along the second rail in a second, opposite direction. In some embodiments, two turnaround rails may be positioned on opposite sides of a junction (e.g., the junction of FIGS. 2-3) to provide turnaround on the first set of primary rails. Accordingly, a vehicle may utilize the turnarounds to proceed along the divided second pair of main rails. Of course, the turnaround rails may be used in any suitable location of a railway system, as the present disclosure is not so limited.

FIG. 6 is a plan view and FIG. 7 is a perspective of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction 300. Similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3, the embodiment of FIGS. 6-7 includes a first pair of main rails 312 and a second pair of main rails 308. The second pair of main rails are divided by the first pair of main rails, such that each of the second pair of main rails includes a storage rail 306. Connecting rails 302 interconnect the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails while not crossing over or under either of the first pair and second pair of main rails. However, the junction of FIGS. 6-7 also includes a plurality of landing portions 310. More specifically, the junction includes eight landing portions 310 formed by secondary rails extending at an acute angle (approximately 30 degrees) relative to the each of the main rails. As shown best in FIG. 7, the landing portions 310 are each supported by a pole 314. The poles 314 may also provide support for the other elements of the junction. As will be discussed further below, the poles 314 may support cantilevered lift rails which selectively connect to the secondary rails and allow a vehicle to be moved up or down in a vertical direction. Accordingly, a vehicle may be moved from one of the secondary rails to a ground level near the base (e.g., a landing position) of the pole to allow for loading or unloading of passengers.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 6-7, the junction includes a transition rail 304 which allows a vehicle to turn around at any end of the junction. That is, utilizing a lift rail associated with each of the poles 314, a vehicle may move from a main rail, into a secondary rail, and into the lift rail. The lift rail may then be lowered and connected to the transition rail 304. Once connected to the transition rail, the vehicle may reverse along the transition rail and into a lift rail on an opposite side of the main rails from which the vehicle exited originally. Once in the opposing lift rail, the vehicle may be raised and the lift rail connected to the opposing secondary rail, whereupon the vehicle can accelerate and merge onto the opposite main rail the opposing secondary rail is connected to. As shown in FIG. 7, a transition rail coupler 307 may connect the transition rail 304 to the poles 314, supporting the transition rail and allowing a vehicle and lift rail to move to horizontal planes above and below the plane of the transition rail. In one embodiment, the coupler may correspond to rigid structures such as a box, frame, bars, and/or any other structure that extends from a corresponding rail, such as the transition rail shown in figure, to a supporting structure such as the pole 314 that the coupler is connected to. The coupler may have an opening between opposing sides of the structure, which in the figure is depicted as opposing tubular beams extending on opposing sides of the opening, that permit the lift rail and vehicle body to pass there through. Accordingly, the coupler may permit the lift rail to selectively move between the track position connected to an associated main and/or secondary rail, the transition position connected to the transition rail, and a landing position accessible to passengers and/or cargo. Of course, while a particular construction of a coupler has been shown and described herein, it should be understood that any appropriate construction capable of connecting a particular portion of a rail to a support structure while permitting the desired movement of a vehicle and lift rail may also be used as the disclosure is not limited in this fashion.

FIG. 8 is a plan view and FIG. 9 is a perspective of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway banked turn 400. Without wishing to be bound by theory, banked turns may enable a vehicle on a grade-separated railway to take turns of a smaller radius of curvature at a higher speed than an unbanked turn. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-9 may allow higher speed turns in a small area. As shown in FIGS. 8-9 the banked turn includes one, two, or any other appropriate number of rails which are both curved around a turn and angled relative to a vertical direction. A support pole 406 is disposed on an inside of the curve formed by the rails, though embodiments in which the rails are located on opposing sides of the pole are also contemplated. The two rails are supported by a beam cantilevered from the pole 406.

FIG. 10 is a plan view and FIG. 11 is a perspective of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway two-point turnaround 500. In some embodiments, a distributed grade-separated railway may include portions of rail where there is less use than other portions of rail in the railway. For example, rails in a residential area may have less traffic than rails in an urban core. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a railway may include one or more portions of bi-directional rail where vehicles may travel in both directions along the rail. In the embodiment of FIGS. 10-11, the railway includes a portion of bi-directional rail 502 which has no primary direction of travel for vehicles 100. The bi-directional rail is connected to a secondary rail 504 which extends approximately perpendicularly to the rail 502. The secondary rail is connected to the first bi-directional rail by two connecting rails 506A, 506B. The connecting rails in the depicted embodiment curve away from the secondary rail towards the bi-direction rail in two opposing directions such that the connecting rails are connected to the bi-directional rail in two opposing direction. As shown in the figures, the bi-directional rail 502 and the secondary rail 504 may be support by two poles 508. During operation, the two-point turnaround 500 allows a vehicle traveling in one direction on the bi-directional rail to change directions. For example, a vehicle 100 may be traveling on the bi-directional rail in the direction D1, stop, and reverse into the secondary rail 504 via a first connecting rail 506A. Once in the secondary rail, the vehicle may reverse directions again, traveling forward along a second connecting rail 506B, merging back onto the bi-directional rail 502 moving in the opposite direction D2. Of course instances in which the vehicle moves forward into the secondary rail along a first secondary rail and reverses into the second secondary rail to provide the desired turnaround are also contemplated. It should be noted that the two-point turnaround of FIGS. 10-11 may be employed in any suitable position in a railway system where a compact turnaround is desired (for example, at a dead end) and is not limited to low traffic areas.

FIG. 12 is a plan view and FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an angled landing junction 600 for a grade-separated railway. As shown in FIGS. 12-13, the angled landing junction includes a first rail 602 and a secondary rail 604 angled relative to the first rail. In particular, the secondary rail is angled acutely relative to the first rail (e.g. an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees, 15 degrees and 75 degrees, and/or any other appropriate angle), and may be suited to fit within a small lateral space. As shown in FIG. 13, the secondary rail 604 may be supported by a pole 606. The pole may also support a cantilevered lift rail 608 configured to support a vehicle 100 and to selectively connect the lift rail to the secondary rail 604. That is, the lift rail 608 is sized and shaped to receive a bogie of the vehicle 100 when the lift rail 608 is in a track position where the lift rail is aligned and connected with the secondary rail as the bogie travels along a secondary rail 604. In some embodiments, the lift rail 608 is smaller than the secondary rail 604 and is configured to be received inside of the secondary rail 604 such that a bogie of the vehicle 100 may move from the secondary rail to the lift rail. The secondary rail 604 extends along a secondary rail axis A1 and the lift rail extended along a parallel lift rail axis B1. Both of the axes A1 and B1 are angled relative to the first rail 602 at an acute angle between 0 and 90 degrees. As shown in FIG. 13 the lift rail 608 allows a supported vehicle to move between the track position and a landing or loading position where the vehicle is disposed on or adjacent a landing 610, allowing passengers to enter or exit the vehicle. The landing 610 may be at ground level or may be disposed in any horizontal plane different than a plane occupied by the secondary rail 604 and/or first rail 602 such that the lift rail is not connected with the secondary rail when the lift rail is in the landing or loading position.

As noted previously, the vertical position of the lift rail 608 may be controlled by any suitable lift arrangement capable of controlling a vertical position of the lift rail, including, but not limited to, a linear actuator, chain lift, wire lift, hydraulic lift, and magnetic levitation. The position of the lift rail may be controlled by a lift processor configured to execute one or more computer readable instructions stored in memory. The position of the lift rail may be coordinated by a remote server and/or by a vehicle processor. The lift processor, vehicle processor, and remote server may communicate using any suitable wired or wireless protocol to coordinate operation of the lift based on a position of the vehicle.

FIG. 14A is an elevation view of one embodiment of lifts 700 for a grade-separated railway. As shown in FIG. 14A, a first rail 702 is supported by a plurality of poles 704. The poles support a plurality of cantilevered lift rails 706 configured to move vehicles 100 between a track position and a landing or loading position. In the track position, the lift rails are connected to the first rail 702, and allow the vehicles to move from the lift rail onto the first rail. According to the depicted embodiment, a single pole 704 can support multiple lift rails 706, allowing multiple vehicles 100 to be moved between a track position and landing position in a small space. As shown in FIG. 14A, the lifts may each include a lift processor 710 and a memory 712 which may control operation of the associated lift to control the vertical positions of the lift rails 706 in coordination with the vehicles 100 and/or a remote server.

FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view of the lifts of FIG. 14A taken along line 14B-14B, and FIG. 14C is an enlarged view of section 14C of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 14A. As best shown in FIG. 14C, the first rail 702 is configured to receive the lift rail 706 so that the lift rail may be received in, aligned with, or otherwise aligned with and operationally connected to the first rail such that the vehicle 100 may move between the first rail and lift rail. For example, the first rail 702 may include a lift rail receptacle 703 that is sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of the lift rail allowing the lift rail to move into and out of the first rail. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 14B-14C, the first rail includes two tracks 708 formed on opposing sides of a longitudinal slot extending along a length of the rail. Similar tracks may be formed in the lift rail which align with the tracks of the first rail 702 when the lift rail is in the track position, allowing a bogie to traverse the effectively continuous track formed by the aligned first rail and lift rail.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway lift 800 including bolsters 806 configured to inhibit rotation of a vehicle 100 about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle (e.g., a roll direction). In the depicted embodiment, the vehicle is positioned in a landing or loading position and a lift rail 804 is cantilevered from a pole 802. A pair of bolsters 806, which may correspond to arms or other sufficiently rigid structures, extend outward from the lift rail in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the lift rail. Each bolster may include one or more wheels 808 that are positioned at an appropriate vertical height relative to the underlying vehicle such that each of the wheels engage a roof 101 of the vehicle 100 to constrain vertical movement of the proximate portion of the vehicle. Due to the use of bolsters located on opposing sides of the lift rail, vehicle roll about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle may be reduced. Further, the wheels 808 may facilitate the vehicle to move along the lift rail 804 when entering or exiting the lift rail while ensuring the vehicle is stable once in the lift rail. However, embodiments in which bolsters are used without the presence of wheels are also contemplated as the disclosure is not so limited.

FIG. 16 is a plan view and FIG. 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a landing junction 900. As shown in FIGS. 16-17, a first main rail 902 and second main rail 904 are positioned on a first side of a roadway 150, extending in parallel directions. The first main rail and second main rail are supported by a pole 910. A secondary rail 908 supported by another pole 910 is positioned on an opposite side of the roadway 150 and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the first and second main rails. A connecting rail 906 is disposed at an angle relative to both the main rails and the secondary rail. The connecting rail 906 connects the first main rail 902 to the secondary rail 908, allowing a vehicle to cross the roadway 150. The secondary rail 908 may be configured to be selectively connected to a lift rail so that a vehicle can be loaded or unloaded on an opposite side of the roadway 150 from the first main rail and second main rail. Such an arrangement may allow the grade-separated railway to more easily fit within existing infrastructure such as major throughways where the first and second main rails may be physically separated from locations used for loading and unloading of passengers and/or cargo.

FIG. 18 is a plan view and FIG. 19 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway 1000 including a plurality of landing junctions. In particular, the grade-separated railway includes a first main rail 1002 and a second main rail 1004. A first set of connecting rails 1006 connect the first main rail to the second main rail, allowing vehicles traveling in a primary direction along the first main rail to transition to the second main rail without changing direction. A second set of connecting rails 1008 are arranged to connect the first main rail and second main rail in an opposite direction, meaning that a vehicle can merge onto the first main rail in its primary direction of travel. In some embodiments, the first main rail and second main rail may have the same primary direction of travel, in which case the first set of connecting rails may be used for merging from the first main rail to the second main rail and the second set of connecting rails may be used for merging from the second main rail to the first main rail (or vice versa, depending on the shared direction of travel).

As shown in FIGS. 18-19, the grade-separated railway includes a first set of landing portions 1010 and a second set of landing portions 1012, each formed by secondary rails connected to the second main rail and extending at an angle relative to the second main rail. The first set of landing portions and second set of landing portions are angled in approximately opposing directions away from the second main rail to which they are connected (e.g. acute and oblique angles respectively). Such an arrangement allows vehicles to selectively park without changing directions and depart with changing direction, or park by changing directions and depart without changing directions, depending on efficient vehicle spacing. As will be discussed further with reference to the FIGS. 20-21 and flow charts of FIGS. 24-25, the vehicles may choose to enter or exit one of the first set of landing portions and second set of landing portions based on the spacing between vehicles to avoid backups and move vehicles efficiently. As shown in FIG. 19, each of the landing portions are supported by a pole 1014, and the poles also at least partially support the first main rail and second main rail.

FIG. 20 is a plan view and FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a landing junction. In particular, the embodiment of FIGS. 20-21 form a center portion of the grade-separated railway of FIGS. 18-19. A second main rail 1004 has a primary direction of travel, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 20. A first landing portion 1010 extends from the second main rail 1004 at an acute angle relative to the direction of travel. A second landing portion 1012 extends from the second main rail at an oblique angle relative the direction of travel along the second main rail. Put another way, a vehicle 100 may move into the first landing portion 1010 without changing directions, while a vehicle needs to change directions (e.g., reverse) along the main rail to move into the second landing portion. Accordingly, parking a vehicle in the first landing portion may be quicker than parking in the second landing portion. However, when departing the first landing portion a vehicle will reverse out of the first landing portion in a direction opposite the primary direction of travel along the main rail prior to moving forward in the primary direction of travel along the main rail, taking longer than departing the second landing portion 1012 where the vehicle may move in a single direction. Accordingly, if spacing between adjacent vehicles traveling on the main rail is below a threshold (e.g. either a time and/or distance threshold), a vehicle may be directed into the first landing portion 1010 so as to not slow down following traffic. However, if the spacing is above a threshold, the vehicle may be directed to park in the second landing portion 1012 so that when the vehicle later departs it can do so with less spacing between vehicles.

As shown in FIG. 21, each of the first and second landing portions 1010, 1012 may be supported by a pole 1014. The poles also support cantilevered lift rails 1016 which may move vehicles between a track position and a loading or landing position as previously described.

FIG. 22 is a plan view and FIG. 23 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a landing junction forming a part of the grade-separated railway of FIGS. 18-19. As shown in FIGS. 22-23, second landing portions 1012 are arranged at an oblique angle relative to a direction of travel of the second main rail 1004. Accordingly, a vehicle 100 may back into the second landing portions 1012, but may depart the landing portions by moving in a single direction from the landing portions onto the main rail without changing directions. As shown in FIG. 23, each of the second landing portions includes a lift rail 1016 supported by a pole 1014. The first landing portions of FIGS. 18-19 would be similar to the second landing portions shown in FIGS. 22-23, except the directions and process of parking and removing the vehicles would be reversed.

FIG. 24 is a flow chart for one embodiment of a method of operating a grade-separated railway. At block 110, a first vehicle is moved along a main rail in a first direction. At block 1102, a second vehicle is moved along the main rail in the first direction spaced behind the first vehicle by an interval time and/or spacing. The interval time and/or spacing may be monitored by a remote server, which may receive position information from each of the vehicles (e.g., GPS information, range finder information, etc.). Using the information, an interval time or spacing between the vehicles along the rail is determined (e.g., by a processor of a remote server and/or a vehicle) and compared to a threshold spacing and/or time interval at block 1104. At block 1106, the first vehicle may be directed into a first rail angled relative to the main rail without changing a direction of travel of the vehicle if the interval time or spacing is below a threshold interval time or spacing. For example, a remote server may transmit an instruction to a vehicle to move into the first rail if the spacing between the vehicles is too small. The first vehicle may move into the first rail while moving in the first direction, meaning the first vehicle may not significantly slow down or otherwise interrupt traffic along the main rail. In contrast, if the interval time or spacing is above the noted threshold, the first vehicle may be directed to stop, move along the main rail in a second opposite direction, and subsequently move into a second rail oriented at an oblique angle relative to a primary direction of travel along the main rail at block 1108. Moving into the second rail in this way may allow the vehicle to later depart the second rail onto the main rail without changing directions. Accordingly, if the spacing between vehicles is sufficient, a remote server or processor of the vehicle may direct the first vehicle into the second rail so that later departures have less interference on traffic on the main rail. At block 1110, if the second vehicle is also stopping, the second vehicle is moved into either the first rail or the second rail which is unoccupied by the first vehicle. In cases where there are more than two vehicles, blocks 1104-1108 may also be performed for the second vehicle with regards to a third trailing vehicle.

FIG. 25 is a flow chart for another embedment of a method of operating a grade-separated railway. The method of FIG. 25 may be applicable to a grade-separated railway like that of FIGS. 18-19, but where a first main rail and a second main rail have primary directions of motion in opposite directions. Similar to the method of FIG. 24, the method of FIG. 25 may increase railway efficiency by allowing vehicles to either park quickly when vehicle traffic is heavy or allowing vehicles to take more time to park but allowing that vehicle to depart quickly. According to FIG. 25, at block 1150 a first vehicle is moved along a first main rail in a first direction. At block 1152 a second vehicle is moved along a second main rail in a second direction opposite the first, where the second vehicle and first vehicle are spaced by an interval time or spacing. At block 1154, the interval time or spacing is determined (e.g., by processing of data provided by the first vehicle and second vehicle to a remote server and/or locally on processors of the individual vehicles) and compared to a threshold interval time or spacing. At block 1156, the second vehicle is moved into a connecting rail interconnecting the first and second main rails and moved into the first main rail in the second direction. At block 1158, the second vehicle is directed into a first rail connected to the first main rail and angled relative to the first main rail if the interval time or spacing is below the threshold interval time or spacing. At block 1160, the second vehicle is directed to stop, move along the first main rail in the first direction, and move into the second rail angled relative to the first main rail if the interval time or spacing is above the threshold interval time or spacing. The first rail may be angled such that the second vehicle may be moved into the first rail while continuing to move in the second direction, meaning the second vehicle is able to clear the first rail more quickly. In some embodiments, if an interval between the two vehicles along the pair of main rails is less than a second lower threshold, time and/or spacing, the second vehicle may stop on the connecting rail until an interval to the next oncoming vehicle is greater than the second lower threshold. The vehicle may then continue onto the desired angled rail according to the method outlined above depending on the interval between the vehicle and the next oncoming vehicle located on the first main rail.

FIG. 26 is a plan view and FIG. 27 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a landing junction 1200. According to the depicted embodiment, junction includes a first main rail 1202 and a second main rail 1204, each of which have opposite directions of travel as shown by the arrows D1 and D2. A first connecting rail 1206 and second connecting rail 1208 interconnect the first main rail and second main rail. The first connecting rail is configured to allow vehicles on each of the main rails to cross to the other main rail while traveling in a primary direction of travel of the original rail. The second connecting rail is configured to allow a vehicle to cross between the main rails when the vehicle is moving in an opposite direction relative to the primary direction of travel of the main rail the vehicle is located on. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 26-27, a secondary rail 1210 is connected to, and angled from, the second main rail 1204. The secondary rail 1210 is supported by a pole 1212, which may also support a lift rail that is selectively connected to the secondary rail to allow vehicles to be loaded and unloaded at the junction 1200. The secondary rail 1210 is accessible from the first main rail 1202 by a vehicle moving in the primary direction of travel of the first rail moving from the first main rail onto the first connecting rail, from the first connecting rail to the second main rail, and from the second main rail onto the secondary rail 1210. The secondary rail 1210 is accessible by a vehicle traveling along the second main rail 1204 if the vehicle stops on the second main rail and travels in a direction opposite the primary direction of travel of the second main rail onto the secondary rail. Correspondingly, a vehicle wishing to depart the landing junction onto the first main rail 1202 may move in reverse onto the second main rail 1204 in a direction of primary travel along the second main rail, change directions such that the vehicle is moving opposite the primary direction of travel on the second main rail. The vehicle then moves onto the first main rail via the second connecting rail 1208. In contrast, a vehicle wishing to depart the landing junction onto the second main rail 1204 simply moves in the primary direction of travel of the second main rail and merges from the secondary rail onto the second main rail without a change in direction.

FIG. 28 is a plan view and FIG. 29 is a perspective of an embodiment of a grade-separated railway buffer 1300. As noted previously, in some embodiments it may be desirable to buffer one or more vehicles while the vehicles are idle or to otherwise create suitable spacing for parking and other maneuvers. As shown in FIG. 28, the buffer includes a main rail 1302 and a secondary rail 1304. The secondary rail is parallel to the main rail and is connected to the main rail by two connecting rails 1305 on either end. The connecting rails are configured to allow a vehicle 100 to move onto the buffer rail, and subsequently back onto the main rail, without changing direction, e.g. moving substantially parallel to a primary direction of travel of the main rail. The use of a buffer may permit the vehicles to stop on the buffer until needed to avoid empty circulation of vehicles on the main rail 1302. The buffer 1300 is supported by a pole 1306.

FIG. 30 is a plan view, FIG. 31 is an elevation view, and FIG. 32 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a storage system 1400 for a grade-separated railway. As shown in FIGS. 30-32, the storage system includes a main rail 1402 and a secondary rail 1404 angled relative to the main rail. The secondary rail is associated with a pole 1406 supporting a lift rail 1408 that is selectively connected to the secondary rail. In such an embodiment, the lift rail may be configured to move a vehicle between a track position, a landing or loading position, and/or a storage position. In the track position, the lift rail may be connected to the secondary rail, allowing a vehicle 100 to move freely between the secondary rail and lift rail. In the landing or loading position, the vehicle may be positioned adjacent or contacting a landing 1412, where passengers may be loaded or unloaded from the vehicle. The lift rail may also be moved to the storage position where the lift rail 1408 is connected to a storage rail 1410. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 30-32, the storage rail 1410 follows the shape of the main rail 1402 and the secondary rail 1404. That is, the storage rail includes a first portion disposed in the same vertical plane as the main rail and a second portion disposed in the same vertical plane of the secondary rail 1404. The storage rail may be located vertically, i.e. in a horizontal plane, that is between the loading position at ground level and the main rail. Such an arrangement may allow storage of the vehicles to occur in the same amount of lateral space as the grade-separated railway would already occupy. However, embodiments in which the storage rail is located above, below, and/or to the side of the main rail and/or landing position are also contemplated as the disclosure is not so limited. In either case, the storage rail is configured to store a plurality of vehicles 100 which are idling or otherwise not currently operating. In the depicted embodiment, the storage position is located between the loading position and the track position. To accommodate movement of the vehicle 100 between the track position, storage position, and landing position, the storage rail 1410 is connected the pole 1406 via a storage coupler 1411. The storage coupler 1411 is sized and shaped to accommodate movement of a vehicle and the lift rail 1408 between the different positions (e.g. in a vertical direction).

FIG. 33 is a plan view and FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a two-point turn 1500 for a grade-separated railway. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 33-34, the two point turn includes a first main rail 1502 and second main rail 1504. The first main rail and second main rail have opposing primary directions of travels, as shown by the arrows D1 and D2. The first main rail is connected to a first secondary rail 1506 which extends from the first main rail at an angle (e.g., approximately 30 degrees) Likewise, the second main rail includes a second secondary rail 1508 which is connected to the second main rail and extends at an angle (e.g., approximately 30 degrees) from the second main rail. Of course, while particular angles have been depicted, any appropriate angle of the secondary rails relative to the primary rails may be used. According to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 33-34, the first and second secondary rails may be angled at equal and opposite angles relative to a direction of both the first main rail and second main rail. That is, the first main rail and second main rail are parallel and extend along a shared axis, and the first and second secondary rails are reflections of one another across that axis. The first and second secondary rail are both supported by separate poles which also support separate associated lift rails 1512 which moves between a track position and a transition position. In the track position, the lift rails 1512 may be connected to the associated secondary rail 1506 or 1508, respectively, to allow a vehicle 100 to move between a lift rail and the associated secondary rail. In the transition position, the lift rail may be connected to a transition rail 1510. The transition rail is formed in an arc between the first and second secondary rails and is connected to the poles by a transition rail coupler 1511 similar to the other couplers discussed above. For example, the transition rail coupler may be sized and shaped to allow passage of a vehicle and the lift rail 1512 in a vertical direction. Ends of the transition rail may be parallel to the associated secondary rail such that a vehicle may move from the first secondary rail, down the lift rail to a transition position, onto the transition rail 1510, and into the lift rail located on an opposing end of the transition rail. The second lift rail may then move the lift rail to the track position where the vehicle may subsequently move onto the second secondary track prior to the vehicle moving onto the second main rail in the primary direction of travel along the second main rail which is opposite from an initial direction of travel of the vehicle along the first main rail. According to the embodiment of FIG. 34, the transition rail forms an arc of approximately 60 degrees, though other angles are also contemplated depending on the relative directions of travel of the first and second main rails. The transition rail may also be disposed in a different horizontal plane than the first main rail and second main rail, i.e. vertically above or below, so that moving vehicles on the main rails or transition rail do not interfere with one another. In some embodiments, the lift rail 1512 of the two-point turn may also have a landing position below the transition position where passengers may be loaded or unloaded as well.

According to the embodiment of FIGS. 33-34, the two-point turn allows a vehicle to turn around in a small lateral footprint. For example, a vehicle traveling down the second main rail 1504 in a forward direction in the primary direction of motion of the second main rail may move into the second secondary rail 1508 and into the lift rail 1512 associated with the second secondary rail. Once in the lift rail, the lift rail may move to a transition position where the lift rail is connected to the transition rail 1510. The vehicle may then reverse into the transition rail and move into the lift rail associated with the secondary rail 1506 when that lift rail is in the transition place. Once in the other lift rail, the lift rail may be raised to the track position and connected to the first secondary rail 1506. Once connected to the first secondary rail, the vehicle may accelerate in a forward direction to merge onto the first main rail 1502, now traveling forward in the primary direction of the first main rail opposite the primary direction of the second main rail.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view, FIG. 36 is an elevation view, and FIG. 37 is a plan view of one embodiment of a grade-separated railway including a plurality of the different rail junctions, turns, landing stations, and other constructions described herein. The grade-separated railway includes a junction 200 a turnaround rail 214, a banked turn 400, multiple landing junctions 1000, a buffer 1200, a storage system 1400, and a two-point turn junction 1500. Accordingly, the embodiment of FIGS. 35-37 are one example of combining the various components of a grade-separated railway described herein into a larger distributed rail network including junctions, buffering, storage, turnaround locations, and loading and unloading capabilities in a small lateral space.

FIG. 38 is a plan view and FIG. 39 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction 1600. The junction of FIGS. 38-39 are similar to that of FIGS. 2-3, except that the junctions of FIGS. 38-39 are configured to fit primarily within a sidewalk road boundary region and hugs one or more buildings 160. The junction includes a first pair of main rails 1602 and a second pair of main rails 1604. The second pair of main rails is bisected by the first pair of main rails in a manner similar to that described previously. Accordingly, the second pair of main rails may include storage or buffer rails 1610. A plurality (e.g., four) connecting rails interconnect the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails without crossing over or under any of the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails. Three of the connecting rails 1606 have a first radius of curvature while a tight connecting rail 1607 is provided adjacent the building 160 with a second, smaller radius of curvature. Each of the three connecting rails with a larger radius of curvature provide space for the location of buffer rails 1610 to store one or more vehicles. The smaller radius of curvature of the tight connecting rail 160 located adjacent to the building, or other structure, allows the entire junction 1600 to hug the building 160, which may be beneficial in an urban core where existing infrastructure interferes with placement of the junction in the middle of an existing thoroughfare. However, the tighter radius of curvature may eliminate or reduce the capacity of a storage rail portion associated with that connecting rail, as is the case in the depicted embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 38-39, the junction may be supported by a plurality of poles 1608 which are coupled to each of the main rails 1602, 1604.

FIG. 40 is a plan view and FIG. 41 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction 1700. The junction 1700 is a four-way junction with two pairs of continuous sets of crossing main rails. That is, a first pair of main rails 1702 and a second pair of main rail 1704 each extend parallel in different directions angled relative to each other (e.g., perpendicular angles) so that the first set of main rails and second set of main rails cross each other. The first pair of main rails 1702 is disposed in a substantially constant horizontal plane, whereas the second pair of main rails 1704 pass over the first pair of main rails (e.g., a flyover) to provide clearance for vehicles on the second pair of main rails. Four connecting rails 1706 connect one of the first pair of main rails and a proximate one of the second pair of main rails without crossing over or under either of the first pair of main rails or second pair of main rails. As the second pair of main rails is continuous, the junction 1700 does not provide storage or buffer rails for storing idle vehicles. Of course, in some embodiments the junction of FIGS. 40-41 may include a siding or buffer rail according to exemplary embodiments described herein (e.g., see FIGS. 28-29), as the present disclosure is not so limited.

FIG. 42 is a plan view and FIG. 43 is a perspective of another embodiment of a grade-separated railway junction 1800. According to the embodiment of FIGS. 42-43, the junction includes two levels of rail. The first, bottommost level of rail is formed as a junction with buffers 200, similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 2-3. The junction with buffers includes a first pair of main rails 210 and a bisected second pair of main rails 208. The second, upper level is defined by a third pair of main rails 1802 and a fourth pair of main rails 1804 which are both parallel to the second pair of main rails. On each of the two levels, the junction includes siding rails 1806. On the first level, the siding rails 1806 mirror the connections of connecting rails of the junction with buffers. Each of the siding rails 1806 are connected to two secondary rails 1808 supported by a pole 1812. The secondary rails allow vehicle to park or otherwise sit idle out of the way of the connecting rails and siding rails. On the second level, the siding rails 1806 form a complete roundabout with curved rails 1810 Like the lower level, the siding rails 1806 are connected to secondary rails 1808 supported by poles 1812. The arrangement of FIGS. 42-43 is configured to allow higher throughput though a junction without occupying significantly more lateral space than a junction similar to that of FIGS. 2-3. In some embodiments, the poles 1812 may be equipped with lifts and multiple lift rails configured to move vehicles between the secondary rails 1808 on the two levels and/or to a landing position where vehicles can be loaded or unloaded.

The above-described embodiments of the technology described herein can be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed among multiple computers. Such processors may be implemented as integrated circuits, with one or more processors in an integrated circuit component, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art by names such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessor, microcontroller, or co-processor. Alternatively, a processor may be implemented in custom circuitry, such as an ASIC, or semicustom circuitry resulting from configuring a programmable logic device. As yet a further alternative, a processor may be a portion of a larger circuit or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom or custom. As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores such that one or a subset of those cores may constitute a processor. Though, a processor may be implemented using circuitry in any suitable format.

Further, it should be appreciated that a computer may be embodied in any of a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer. Additionally, a computer may be embedded in a device not generally regarded as a computer but with suitable processing capabilities, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device.

Also, a processor may have one or more input and output devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to present a user interface. Examples of output devices that can be used to provide a user interface include printers or display screens for visual presentation of output and speakers or other sound generating devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of input devices that can be used for a user interface include keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touch pads, and digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receive input information through speech recognition or in other audible format.

Such processors may be interconnected by one or more networks in any suitable form, including as a local area network or a wide area network, such as an enterprise network or the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate according to any suitable protocol and may include wireless networks, wired networks or fiber optic networks.

Also, the various methods or processes outlined herein may be coded as software that is executable on one or more processors that employ any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Additionally, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages and/or programming or scripting tools, and also may be compiled as executable machine language code or intermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual machine.

In this respect, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a computer readable storage medium (or multiple computer readable media) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs (CD), optical discs, digital video disks (DVD), magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductor devices, or other tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments discussed above. As is apparent from the foregoing examples, a computer readable storage medium may retain information for a sufficient time to provide computer-executable instructions in a non-transitory form. Such a computer readable storage medium or media can be transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above. As used herein, the term “computer-readable storage medium” encompasses only a non-transitory computer-readable medium that can be considered to be a manufacture (i.e., article of manufacture) or a machine. Alternatively or additionally, the disclosure may be embodied as a computer readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, such as a propagating signal.

The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above. Additionally, it should be appreciated that according to one aspect of this embodiment, one or more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

Various aspects of the present disclosure may be used alone, in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is therefore not limited in its application to the details and arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described in other embodiments.

Also, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a method, of which an example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.

Further, some actions are described as taken by a “user.” It should be appreciated that a “user” need not be a single individual, and that in some embodiments, actions attributable to a “user” may be performed by a team of individuals and/or an individual in combination with computer-assisted tools or other mechanisms.

While the present teachings have been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present teachings be limited to such embodiments or examples. On the contrary, the present teachings encompass various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

1. A railway, comprising:

a first rail configured to engage and support a bogie of a vehicle; and

a lift rail configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle, wherein the lift rail is coupled to a lift configured to change a position of the lift rail between an auxiliary position and a track position, wherein in the auxiliary position the first rail is not connected with the lift rail, and wherein in the track position the first rail is connected with the lift rail.

2. The railway of claim 1, wherein the first rail includes a lift rail receptacle configured to receive the lift rail when the lift rail is in the track position.

3. The railway of claim 1, wherein the lift rail further comprises bolsters configured to engage a pod suspended from the lift rail to inhibit rotation of the pod about the lift rail.

4. The railway of claim 1, further comprising a storage rail extending parallel to the lift rail, the storage rail configured to engage and support a bogie of the vehicle, wherein the auxiliary position is a storage position where the lift rail is connected with the storage rail.

5. The railway of claim 4, wherein the lift rail is coupled to a support pole, and wherein the support pole at least partially supports the first rail and storage rail.

6. The railway of claim 4, wherein the lift rail further comprises a loading position, wherein the storage position is between the track position and the loading position.

7. The railway of claim 6, wherein the loading position is a lowermost vertical position of the lift rail.

8. The railway of claim 1, further comprising a first main rail configured to engage and support a bogie of the vehicle, wherein the first rail is a secondary rail connected to the main rail.

9. The railway of claim 8, wherein the secondary rail is angled relative to the first main rail.

10. The railway of claim 9, wherein the first main rail includes a first direction of travel, and wherein the secondary rail is angled acutely relative to the first direction of travel.

11. The railway of claim 8, wherein the first main rail includes a main direction of travel, and wherein the secondary rail is angled obliquely relative to the first direction of travel.

12. The railway of claim 8, further comprising a second main rail, wherein a primary direction of travel on the first main rail is different than a primary direction of travel on the second main rail, and wherein the first main rail and second main rail are interconnected by at least one connecting rail.

13. The railway of claim 8, wherein the secondary rail is parallel to the first main rail, and wherein the secondary rail is connected to the first main rail via a connecting rail angled relative to the first main rail.

14. The railway of claim 13, wherein the first main rail is disposed on a first side of a street, and the secondary rail is disposed along a second, opposite side of the street.

15. The railway of claim 1, wherein the lift rail is coupled to a support pole, and wherein the support pole at least partially supports the first rail.

16. The railway of claim 8, further comprising:

a second main rail extending adjacent to the main rail and configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle, wherein a primary direction of travel on the first main rail is different than a primary direction of travel on the second main rail;

a transition rail configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle, wherein the lift rail is connected to the transition rail in the auxiliary position; and

a second lift rail configured to engage and support the bogie of the vehicle, wherein the second lift rail is coupled to a second lift configured to change a position of the second lift rail between an auxiliary position and a track position of the second lift rail, wherein in the auxiliary position the second lift rail is connected with the transfer rail, and wherein in the track position the lift rail is connected with the second main rail.

17. The railway of claim 16, wherein the second main rail is parallel to the main rail.

18. The railway of claim 16, wherein the transition rail forms an arc.

19. A railway, comprising:

a first pair of main rails extending in a first direction;

a second pair of main rails extending in a second direction, wherein the second pair of main rails intersect the first pair of main rails, wherein a first portion of the second pair of main rails is non-continuous with a second portion of the second pair of main rails, and wherein the first pair of main rails is disposed between the first and second portions of the second pair of main rails; and

a plurality of connecting rails, wherein each connecting rail extends between one of the first pair of main rails and an adjacent one of the second pair of main rails, and wherein the connecting rails do not cross over any of the first pair of main rails or second pair of main rails.

20. The railway of claim 19, wherein the first pair of main rails are in a main rail plane, and wherein the second pair of main rails are disposed in the main rail plane.

21. The railway of claim 20, wherein the four connecting rails are disposed in a horizontal plane including the first pair of main rails and the second pair of main rails.

22. The railway of claim 19, wherein the first pair of main rails are parallel to one another, and wherein the second pair of main rails are parallel to one another.

23. The railway of claim 19, wherein a portion of one or more of the second pair of main rails extending between a connecting rail and the junction between the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails is configured to hold one or more stationary vehicles.

24. The railway of claim 19, further comprising a first turnaround rail that extends out of a horizontal plane including at least one of the first pair of main rails, wherein the first turnaround rail connects the first pair of main rails.

25. The railway of claim 24, wherein a junction between one of the connecting rails and one of the first pair of main rails is disposed between a junction between the first turnaround rail and the junction between the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails.

26. The railway of claim 28, further comprising a second turnaround rail that extends out of a horizontal plane including at least one of the second pair of main rails, wherein the second turnaround rail connects the second pair of main rails.

27. The railway of claim 26, wherein a junction between one of the connecting rails and one of the second pair of main rails is disposed between a junction between the second turnaround rail and the junction between the first pair of main rails and second pair of main rails.

28. A method of operating a railway, the method comprising:

moving a first vehicle along a first main rail in a first direction;

directing the first vehicle into a first secondary rail angled relative to the main rail;

moving the first vehicle into a first lift rail connected with the first secondary rail; and

changing a position of the first vehicle and lift rail.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein changing the position of the first vehicle and the first lift rail includes lowering the first vehicle relative to the first secondary rail.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising aligning the first lift rail with a storage rail, and moving the first vehicle into the storage rail.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising aligning the first lift rail with an auxiliary position such that the first vehicle is disposed at ground level.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising aligning the first lift rail with a transition rail, and moving the first vehicle into the transition rail.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising moving the first vehicle into a second lift rail from the transition rail.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising changing a position of the first vehicle and the second lift rail.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein changing the position of the first vehicle and second lift rail includes connecting the second lift rail with a second secondary rail connected with a second main rail, and moving the first vehicle into the second secondary rail.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising moving the first vehicle into the second main rail in a second direction opposite the first direction.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein directing the first vehicle into the first secondary rail includes stopping the first pod and moving the first pod in a second direction opposite the first direction along the main rail.

38. A method of operating a railway, the method comprising:

moving a first vehicle along a first main rail in a first direction;

moving a second vehicle along the first main rail in the first direction spaced behind the first vehicle by a time and/or distance interval;

determining the interval between the first and second vehicle;

directing the first vehicle into a first rail angled relative to the main rail while moving in the first direction if the interval is below a threshold interval; and

directing the first vehicle to stop, move along the main rail in a second direction opposite the first direction, and move into a second rail angled relative to the first main rail if the interval is greater than the threshold interval.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

moving the first vehicle into a first lift rail connected with the first rail or second rail; and

changing a position of the first vehicle and the first lift rail.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising directing the second vehicle into the first rail or the second rail unoccupied by the first vehicle.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

moving the first vehicle into a first lift rail connected with one of the first rail and second rail;

changing a position of the first vehicle and the first lift rail;

moving the first vehicle into a second lift rail; connected with the other of the first rail and second rail; and

changing a position of the first vehicle and second lift rail;

moving the first vehicle into a second main rail in a second direction different than the first direction.