US 21st Century Slip Coaches?

[wellhouse]

An American company is proposing Battery Railcars to shuttle passengers to and from passing mainline trains to avoid station stops, according to Trains Magazine.

"The EMDI cars would pick up passengers at conventional stations, then deliver them to the passenger train on the fly. Passengers who want to get off at the next station would then board the EMDI, which would uncouple from the train and make the station stop, where the process would repeat itself."

Startup company proposes novel way to speed passenger service - Trains

Imagine if you could launch faster passenger train service on a dedicated right of way for half the cost of traditional high speed rail — or speed up conventional service by 30% while still running at 79 mph. It’s possible, a startup company claims, to slash transit times by eliminating the...

www.trains.com

Not totally convinced that this has been fully thought through!

 

[MisterT]

This is basically a form of the ERTMS Virtual Coupling concept I'd say. Not really a new thing.
My TOC (NS) is also looking into these kind of things for future operations, as it would make it possible to run more trains (or serve more stations) on the same infrastructure.

 

[AdamWW]

This is basically a form of the ERTMS Virtual Coupling concept I'd say. Not really a new thing.
My TOC (NS) is also looking into these kind of things for future operations, as it would make it possible to run more trains (or serve more stations) on the same infrastructure.

It might use the virtual coupling concept to permit the trains to operate independently at such close quarters, but I'd hope you'd have non virtual coupling while people were transferring between vehicles.

I've sometimes wondered whether something like this would be practical. I strongly suspect not. But it would be fun if it was.

An American company is proposing Battery Railcars to shuttle passengers to and from passing mainline trains to avoid station stops, according to Trains Magazine.

'The EMDI cars would pick up passengers at conventional stations, then deliver them to the passenger train on the fly. Passengers who want to get off at the next station would then board the EMDI, which would uncouple from the train and make the station stop, where the process would repeat itself.'

Startup company proposes novel way to speed passenger service - Trains

Imagine if you could launch faster passenger train service on a dedicated right of way for half the cost of traditional high speed rail — or speed up conventional service by 30% while still running at 79 mph. It’s possible, a startup company claims, to slash transit times by eliminating the...

www.trains.com

Not totally convinced that this has been fully thought through!

Curious they mention 79 mph running. That is, I believe, the fastest permitted speed for trains in the US without cab signalling.

But I think if you were going to have powered slip coaches you would need a signalling scheme that involved cab signals.

 

[eldomtom2]

Curious they mention 79 mph running. That is, I believe, the fastest permitted speed for trains in the US without cab signalling.

But I think if you were going to have powered slip coaches you would need a signalling scheme that involved cab signals.

It is (or was, I'm not sure on the precise details) the fastest permitted speed for trains without some form of automatically stopping trains that pass red signals (e.g. Indusi or similar systems). Full cab signalling is not required to exceed 79mph.

 

[AdamWW]

It is (or was, I'm not sure on the precise details) the fastest permitted speed for trains without some form of automatically stopping trains that pass red signals (e.g. Indusi or similar systems). Full cab signalling is not required to exceed 79mph.

Correction noted.

But...is there anywhere in the US that does have an automatic train stop system but not full cab signalling?

 

[StephenHunter]

Correction noted.

But...is there anywhere in the US that does have an automatic train stop system but not full cab signalling?

Would the NYC Subway have something like that?

 

[AdamWW]

Would the NYC Subway have something like that?

Ah quite likely.

But I was thinking of 'regular' railways.

Don't suppose the subway gets up to 79 mph...