Unusual railways

(1) In the course of railway history many researches were carried out to develop cheaper and more efficient means of transportation. Here are some interesting examples of unusual railways. In 1862 L.D. Girard, a French inventor, surprised the world that he invented Gliding Railway ¹ based on the entirely new wheelless design. According to the project the train was to move on six plates. While the train was running the water was to be spread evenly between the plates and the track. When constructed the experimental line was a success. People travelling on this strange railway were surprised by its smoothness, noiseless operation of trains and speed attained. This railway proved much cheaper in the comparison with conventional railways since it did not need a rail track.

(2) In early 1900s there appeared one of the strangest mountain railways in Austria. It was a balloon railway² whose function was to facilitate and speed up the transportation of passengers up a high mountain near Salzburg. It consisted of a large balloon connected to the car. Instead of wheels the car had a slide³ running on a single rail. When loaded, the car carrying ten passengers rose up the mountain. But when it was to run down, a large tank installed under the car had to be filled with water. It was the increased weight that made the car run down again.

(3) William H. Reinolz, USA, proposed to use a water base for his track. But the water was to be frozen and the trains were to move over a bed of ice. According to Reinolz the atomic energy ought to be used for freezing water, and the track ought to be enclosed in a gallery of transparent plastic to decrease air friction and power losses. The streamlined⁴ trains should be made of aluminium.

(4) The idea of using underground tunnels or tubes for high-speed running is being carefully studied by scientists. According to the so-called tube-flight concept⁵ streamlined vehicles are to run in a tube. The power source should be installed in cars and they are to transfer air by propellers from the front to the rear. Running in the tube the trains will have small power losses, so speeds up to 2000mph can be theoretically attained.

Not all of the proposals for unconventional railways have found a practical application. But these ideas have made it possible to build modern high-speed transportation systems.

¹ Gliding railway – залізниця, заснована на принципі ковзання

² balloon railway – залізниця, на якій потяги рухалися за допомогою повітряної кулі

³ a slide – тут повзунок

⁴ streamlined – той, який має обтічну форму

⁵ tube-flight concept – ідея швидкісного «польоту» у трубі

Exercise 44 Think where the ideas from the text can be used today. Which of the projects has found practical application? Which of them seems the most fantastic (realistic)? Can any of these ideas be possibly used in the future?

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