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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.