System and method for boarding and letting off passengers in trains efficiently so that the train does not have to stop at the stations

Abstract

One of the biggest problems of efficiency in trains is the time wasted for boarding and letting off passengers at the stations. Since trains carry a very heavy mass, typically it can take a few minutes for the train to decelerate and come to a full stop and a few minutes to wait till all the passengers who want to get off or board the train finish boarding or exiting, and then again a few minutes to finish accelerating, and thus each stop at a station can typically slow down a train by 5-15 minutes. This is especially noticeable in fast trains, such as for example trains that go at 150 Mph or more, so that the same trip with the same type of train can take for example 3.5 hours when no or almost no stops are made on the way and 7.5 hours if the train stops at every station. The present invention solves the above problem by enabling passengers to board the train or to get off at each desired station without needing the train to stop or even slow down, based on using an intermediary device of one or more coaches that are used for getting on or off the train while the train is traveling preferably at full speed. The invention solves various problems involved in implementing such a solution.

1 . A system for enabling passengers to board a train and/or to get off a train at desired stations without needing the train to stop or even slow down, comprising an intermediary device of at least one coach that is used for getting on or off the train while the train is traveling with speed, wherein: 
 a. The passengers that want to get off at the station have to go to at least one disembarking coach at the end of the train before reaching the station, and before reaching the station the coach is disconnected and slows down and comes to a stop at the station.    b. Passengers that want to board the train at the station board in advance at least one boarding coach that, after the train passes the station, caches up with the train while the train is traveling with high speed.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. After catching up with the train the boarding coach becomes the disembarking coach for the next station that uses it.    b. Tickets are already examined at the boarding coach before the passengers are allowed to pass over to the train itself.    c. At least one sidetrack is used, which is connected to the normal track in at least two places, so that the at least one boarding coach waits on the side-track and accelerates to high speed already before moving to the normal track, and moves to the normal track very soon after the fast train's last coach has passed.    d. Two engine carts are used at each station, one for carrying or pushing the disembarking coach, and one for carrying or pushing the boarding coach.    e. Only one engine cart is used, with an additional sidetrack, so that after the engine cart stops the disembarking coach on one of the two side tracks, it disengages from it, moves to the boarding coach, connects to it, and starts to accelerate in order to catch the train.    f. The engine cart that pulls the boarding and disembarking coach is designed so that the driver booth is on the side and passengers can freely pass though the entrance in the middle.    g. The engine cart moves the at least one boarding/disembarking coach by pushing from the back.    h. Each coach has at least one video camera in front of it that can transmit the view directly to the driver, so that engine cart can drive also coaches in front of it with better view.    i. No special engine carts are used but at least the boarding and disembarking coaches have also an engine and a driver seat and controls at one of the sides in the front, so that the driver can simply move to the front of the coach that becomes the front coach of the part of the train that is used for disembarking at the next station.    j. The side track is long enough and has multiple crossing points with the main track, so that if there is some error that causes the boarding coach to reach the first crossing point before the train has finished passing, the side track has enough room to go on in the side track and can simply slow down a little and cross over in the next crossing point.    k. The side track is short and the at least one boarding coach accelerates to high speed only after crossing over to the main track.    l. The driver of the boarding coach can by remote control directly switch any of the crossing point into the desired state according to the need and/or this is controlled by computer automatically so that the crossing point can be switched to allow crossing to the main track only if the sensors indicate that the express train has finished passing that point.    m. The boarding coach starts accelerating only after the train has passed.    n. Each coach that is used as a disembarking coach uses at least one of visual and vocal indication that it will be disconnected near the next station.    o. As the train is nearing a station the voice system announces repeatedly to the passengers that soon the train will reach the next station and that everyone who wants to get off should move to the at least one last coach which is used as the disembarking coach, and that everyone who does not wish to get off in the next station should leave said at least one last coach.    p. At least one of the side track and the near section of the main track after the station contains in addition to the two normal metal stripes also at least one higher friction stripe that can be used by one or more wheels that can go down from the engine cart of the boarding coach and/or from the boarding coach itself, so that it can accelerate faster and/or more efficiently.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein The final slowing down and matching of speed until the actual connection between the boarding coach and the train are controlled by computer with the aid of a sensor that senses at least one of: The distance from the train, the speed of the train, and the speed of the boarding coach, and/or automatic communication is used with a computer on the train.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said sensing is done by at least one of sonar, laser, reading an automatic signal transmitted by the last coach in the train, and/or automatic communication with a computer on the train.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein in stations where the train might have to slow down at least a little anyway because of various constraints, when converting to the present system, the normal track at that section becomes the side track and a new section is added to the main track which makes it go more straight  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the following features exist: 
 a. If the number of people that have to board the train and/or the number of people that want to get off at a certain station is very large, the train can stop normally, and this is decided at least one of: Dynamically on a need basis, and By defining in advance normal stops in a few large cities.    b. Passengers can buy a pass that allows them to get back on at least one of the next express train and subsequent express trains after getting off in whatever stations they like, so that they can still enjoy the view or visit whatever places they like.    c. Passengers have to pay extra only if they want to get off the disembarking coach and get back later, and no one has to pay extra if he wants to just stay in the coach.    d. Passengers have to pay extra only if they got off for more than the normal time, thus catching a later train that is not the normal subsequent express train.    
   
   
       7 . A method for enabling passengers to board a train and/or to get off a train at desired stations without needing the train to stop or even slow down, comprising using an intermediary device of at least one coach that is used for getting on or off the train while the train is traveling with speed, wherein: 
 a. The passengers that want to get off at the station have to go to at least one disembarking coach at the end of the train before reaching the station, and a little before reaching the station the coach is disconnected and slows down and comes to a stop at the station.    b. Passengers that want to board the train at the station board in advance at least one boarding coach that, after the train passes the station, caches up with the train while the train is traveling with high speed.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. After catching up with the train the boarding coach becomes the disembarking coach for the next station that uses it.    b. Tickets are already examined at the boarding coach before the passengers are allowed to pass over to the train itself.    c. At least one sidetrack is used, which is connected to the normal track in at least two places, so that the at least one boarding coach waits on the side-track and accelerates to high speed already before moving to the normal track, and moves to the normal track very soon after the fast train's last coach has passed.    d. Two engine carts are used at each station, one for carrying or pushing the disembarking coach, and one for carrying or pushing the boarding coach.    e. Only one engine cart is used, with an additional sidetrack, so that after the engine cart stops the disembarking coach on one of the two side tracks, it disengages from it, moves to the boarding coach, connects to it, and starts to accelerate in order to catch the train.    f. The engine cart that pulls the boarding and disembarking coach is designed so that the driver booth is on the side and passengers can freely pass though the entrance in the middle.    g. The engine cart moves the at least one boarding/disembarking coach by pushing from the back.    h. Each coach has at least one video camera in front of it that can transmit the view directly to the driver, so that engine cart can drive also coaches in front of it with better view.    i. No special engine carts are used but at least the boarding and disembarking coaches have also an engine and a driver seat and controls at one of the sides in the front, so that the driver can simply move to the front of the coach that becomes the front coach of the part of the train that is used for disembarking at the next station.    j. The side track is long enough and has multiple crossing points with the main track, so that if there is some error that causes the boarding coach to reach the first crossing point before the train has finished passing, the side track has enough room to go on in the side track and can simply slow down a little and cross over in the next crossing point.    k. The side track is short and the at least one boarding coach accelerates to high speed only after crossing over to the main track.    l. The driver of the boarding coach can by remote control directly switch any of the crossing points into the desired state according to the need and/or this is controlled by computer automatically so that the crossing point can be switched to allow crossing to the main track only if the sensors indicate that the express train has finished passing that point.    m. The boarding coach starts accelerating only after the train has passed.    n. Each coach that is used as a disembarking coach uses at least one of visual and vocal indication that it will be disconnected near the next station.    o. As the train is nearing a station the voice system announces repeatedly to the passengers that soon the train will reach the next station and that everyone who wants to get off should move to the at least one last coach which is used as the disembarking coach, and that everyone who does not wish to get off in the next station should leave said at least one last coach.    p. At least one of the side track and the near section of the main track after the station contains in addition to the two normal metal stripes also at least one higher friction stripe that can be used by one or more wheels that can go down from the engine cart of the boarding coach and/or from the boarding coach itself, so that it can accelerate faster and/or more efficiently.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein The final slowing down and matching of speed until the actual connection between the boarding coach and the train are controlled by computer with the aid of a sensor that senses at least one of: The distance from the train, the speed of the train, and the speed of the boarding coach, and/or automatic communication is used with a computer on the train.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said sensing is done by at least one of sonar, laser, reading an automatic signal transmitted by the last coach in the train, and/or automatic communication with a computer on the train.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein in stations where the train might have to slow down at least a little anyway because of various constraints, when converting to the present system, the normal track at that section becomes the side track and a new section is added to the main track which makes it go more straight.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the following features exist: 
 a. If the number of people that have to board the train and/or the number of people that want to get off at a certain station is very large, the train can stop normally, and this is decided at least one of: Dynamically on a need basis, and By defining in advance normal stops in a few large cities.    b. Passengers can buy a pass that allows them to get back on at least one of the next express train and subsequent express trains after getting off in whatever stations they like, so that they can still enjoy the view or visit whatever places they like.    c. Passengers have to pay extra only if they want to get off the disembarking coach and get back later, and no one has to pay extra if he wants to just stay in the coach.    d. Passengers have to pay extra only if they got off for more than the normal time, thus catching a later train that is not the normal subsequent express train.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the boarding/disembarking coach can also travel on normal roads and collect passengers to and from various stations in town by at least one of the following: 
 a. Using a dual set of wheels so that when it is on the road it lowers normal rubber covered wheels and when it is on the track it pulls down metal wheels that fit the track.    b. As it reaches the train station, the shuttle boards over a flat coach, and then this coach (with or without a separate engine cart) accelerates and catches up with the train, and after it stops at the next station, the shuttle goes down from it and can again distribute passengers to various destinations    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein one or more high friction stripes are used on the side track and/or on a section of the main track, and the stripes are at a position that fits the normal rubber wheels so that both the metal wheels and the normal wheels can be lowered at the same time during the acceleration.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the train is used for moving cargo, and at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The cargo is in movable containers or packages which each have its destination marked in a way that can be read automatically, and after the boarding/disembarking coach or coaches are connected to the train various containers or packages are automatically moved from and to the boarding/disembarking coaches on moving conveyor belts or on rollers or other means.    b. Each container is almost the size of a full coach and containers can be moved between coaches by using legs to push up one or more containers and when one or more containers are up, other containers can be moved between coaches, and then the container that was pushed up can be moved on top of other containers and then pushed down again to the new place.    c. Containers can be moved between coaches on at least one of wheels, toothed wheels, elongated rollers, or conveyor belts.    d. Containers can be elevated by elevating legs which are part of a moving frame which can roll from coach to coach, or by a frame that has one or more hooks which can pick up the container from above like a crane.    e. Each container is only half the width of a coach or less and there are two sets of conveyor belts or toothed wheels or elongated rollers channels on each coach that can transfer containers between coaches, and there is sufficient room for containers to be moved sideways between the two channels and thus the rearrangement of containers does not need to use the height dimension.    f. The containers carry an identifier of the destination station by at least one of barcode, RFID, and other format that can be read automatically, so that each coach can read automatically the destinations of the container or containers that are on it and report it to the computer that is in charge of the movements of containers between coaches.    g. Sections of the train can be rearranged near each station while the train is traveling, so that as the train nears a station, the section or sections that have to get off at that station are disconnected from the train, even if they are in the middle between sections then need to continue, by moving them into one or more side tracks, and then the other sections reconnect.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the train is used for moving cargo, and the cargo version is limited to either one point to multi-points, or multi-points to one point, wherein at least one of the following features exist: 
 a. The cargo is divided between coaches that are sorted in advance by destination, so that all the coaches that have to get off earlier are further back at the end of the train, and each group of coaches disconnects from the train near the right station and comes to a stop, by using an engine cart for each group or by using automatic brakes or remote-controlled brakes.    b. There is only one engine cart at the front of the train and one at the back, and before each station the disconnected group of coaches is pushed till stopping at the station by the back engine cart, and another engine cart accelerates and connects to the end of what is left of the train, in order to lead the next disconnected part to the next station.    c. At each station multiple boarding-coaches are either pulled or pushed by an engine cart and accelerated and connected to the train after it passes at the station, wherein: If the coaches were pulled then the engine cart that pulled remains connected to the train but can be turned off so that it continues to travel passively, and if the coaches were pushed, then either the engine cart also remains connected in a passive mode, or it disconnects itself before the next station and becomes the pushing cart for the boarding coaches in the next station.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the boarding/disembarking coach can also travel on normal roads and collect passengers to and from various stations in town by at least one of the following: 
 a. Using a dual set of wheels so that when it is on the road it lowers normal rubber covered wheels and when it is on the track it pulls down metal wheels that fit the track.    b. As it reaches the train station, the shuttle boards over a flat coach, and then this coach (with or without a separate engine cart) accelerates and catches up with the train, and after it stops at the next station, the shuttle goes down from it and can again distribute passengers to various destinations.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein one or more high friction stripes are used on the side track and/or on a section of the main track, and the stripes are at a position that fits the normal rubber wheels so that both the metal wheels and the normal wheels can be lowered at the same time during the acceleration.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the train is used for moving cargo, and at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The cargo is in movable containers or packages which each have its destination marked in a way that can be read automatically, and after the boarding/disembarking coach or coaches are connected to the train various containers or packages are automatically moved from and to the boarding/disembarking coaches on moving conveyor belts or on rollers or other means.    b. Each container is almost the size of a full coach and containers can be moved between coaches by using legs to push up one or more containers and when one or more containers are up, other containers can be moved between coaches, and then the container that was pushed up can be moved on top of other containers and then pushed down again to the new place.    c. Containers can be moved between coaches on at least one of wheels, toothed wheels, elongated rollers, or conveyor belts.    d. Containers can be elevated by elevating legs which are part of a moving frame which can roll from coach to coach, or by a frame that has one or more hooks which can pick up the container from above like a crane.    e. Each container is only half the width of a coach or less and there are two sets of conveyor belts or toothed wheels or elongated rollers channels on each coach that can transfer containers between coaches, and there is sufficient room for containers to be moved sideways between the two channels and thus the rearrangement of containers does not need to use the height dimension.    f. The containers carry an identifier of the destination station by at least one of barcode, RFID, and other format that can be read automatically, so that each coach can read automatically the destinations of the container or containers that are on it and report it to the computer that is in charge of the movements of containers between coaches.    g. Sections of the train can be rearranged near each station while the train is traveling, so that as the train nears a station, the section or sections that have to get off at that station are disconnected from the train, even if they are in the middle between sections then need to continue, by moving them into one or more side tracks, and then the other sections reconnect.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the train is used for moving cargo, and the cargo version is limited to either one point to multi-points, or multi-points to one point, wherein at least one of the following features exist: 
 a. The cargo is divided between coaches that are sorted in advance by destination, so that all the coaches that have to get off earlier are further back at the end of the train, and each group of coaches disconnects from the train near the right station and comes to a stop, by using an engine cart for each group or by using automatic brakes or remote-controlled brakes.    b. There is only one engine cart at the front of the train and one at the back, and before each station the disconnected group of coaches is pushed till stopping at the station by the back engine cart, and another engine cart accelerates and connects to the end of what is left of the train, in order to lead the next disconnected part to the next station.    c. At each station multiple boarding-coaches are either pulled or pushed by an engine cart and accelerated and connected to the train after it passes at the station, wherein: If the coaches were pulled then the engine cart that pulled remains connected to the train but can be turned off so that it continues to travel passively, and if the coaches were pushed, then either the engine cart also remains connected in a passive mode, or it disconnects itself before the next station and becomes the pushing cart for the boarding coaches in the next station.    
   
   
       21 . (Canceled).  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 7  wherein one or more high friction stripes are used on the side track and/or on a section of the main track for improved acceleration and/or stopping, and wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. Said high friction stripes are installed between or outside the metal stripes of the tracks at least near the area of stations.    b. Special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches can touch said high friction stripes.    c. Special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches can be lowered to touch said high friction stripes.    d. The wheels are toothed wheels and the high friction stripes contain groves.    e. The train's engine contains a changeable gear.    f. Additional magnetic force is used to aid acceleration and/or deceleration.    
   
   
       23 . (Canceled).  
   
   
       24 . A method for improved acceleration and/or stopping for trains comprising the steps of using one or more high friction stripes on the side track and/or on a section of the main track for improved acceleration and/or stopping and wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. Said high friction stripes are installed between or outside the metal stripes of the tracks at least near the area of stations.    b. Using special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches that can touch said high friction stripes.    c. Using special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches that can be lowered to touch said high friction stripes.    d. Using toothed wheels and the high friction stripes contain groves.    e. Using a changeable gear in train's engine.    f. Using additional magnetic force to aid acceleration and/or deceleration.