...and just painting tracks on the road, and programming a similarly shaped wheeled vehicle so that it can only follow the route set out by the tracks?
this would obviously be a lot cheaper and faster to implement...
2006-06-09 03:41:56 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Rail
Why don't trains have tires? Is that what your asking? The answer is really quite simple. In steel wheels there is very little resistance so you can haul a whole lot more than if you had tires.
2006-06-09 03:53:59 · answer #1 · answered by cedykeman1 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Look up trolleybus.
It's an electric bus that gets power from overhead lines, similar to light rail vehicles. It has tires, looks like a bus, and runs like a bus, but one can't pass another one except where there is dual power.
The advantage of the trolleybus is that it doesn't have to follow a ground track, just the overhead wires. So it can change lanes to pass a gas-powered vehicle. However, it doesn't usually have as much capacity as light rail.
It's been around for about 100 years.
2006-06-09 03:49:26 · answer #2 · answered by totallly_bogus_id 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One advantage of light rail is it doesn't have to follow the roads. It avoids traffic and can often take a more direct route than roads can.
Your idea is neat. It would have to have its own roadway or its own lane, though, to avoid accidents.
2006-06-09 03:45:16 · answer #3 · answered by cucumberlarry1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Psychologically yes! people are more trusting of the permanence of rail, also larger loads can be carried.
2006-06-11 10:31:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know sorry
2006-06-09 03:44:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
not if you are smoking the dope that warps your mind.
2006-06-09 03:45:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't think so.
2006-06-09 20:16:56 · answer #7 · answered by filthbikes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋