Interoperability systems for railway infrastructures

Abstract

A railway system including at least two railway guide systems interfacing at a system conversion station, at least one railway guide system comprising a magnetic levitation railway track and the other railway guide system comprising one of a wheel railway track and a magnetic levitation railway track, the system conversion station comprising a bogie storage zone for storing one or more bogies adapted for locomotion on the first railway guide system and for storing bogies adapted for locomotion on the second railway guide system.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A modular railway vehicle comprising a carriage, one or more bogies, and a corresponding one or more coupling mechanisms interconnecting the bogies to the carriage, the coupling mechanism comprising a bogie coupling interface fixed to the bogie and a carriage coupling interface fixed to the carriage, the bogie coupling interface being lockable and detachable to the carriage coupling interface allowing different bogies to be exchangeably attached to the carriage such that the modular railway vehicle may be adapted for circulation on railway guide systems of different types including at least a magnetic levitation railway track, the carriage being provided with at least one carriage coupling interface on a floor of the carriage and at least one carriage coupling interface on a roof of the carriage. 
     
     
         32 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , wherein the bogies are selected from a group including bogies with wheel track engaging members and bogies with magnetic levitation track engaging members. 
     
     
         33 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 32 , wherein the track engaging members are connected to a base of the bogie via a suspension. 
     
     
         34 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , wherein the carriage comprises at least two carriage coupling interfaces under the carriage floor. 
     
     
         35 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , wherein the carriage comprises at least two carriage coupling interfaces on the carriage roof. 
     
     
         36 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a guide pin on one of the bogie or the carriage and a complementary guide cavity on the other of the bogie or carriage, the guide pin and cavity having a tapered or conical shape portion. 
     
     
         37 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes pluggable electrical interconnections for establishing electrical contact between the carriage and the bogie for power and/or signal transmission. 
     
     
         38 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 31 , comprising at least one propulsion system including a linear electric motor having a mover fixed to the modular railway vehicle for electromagnetic drive coupling to a stator mounted on a railway guide system. 
     
     
         39 . The modular railway vehicle according to  claim 38 , wherein the mover comprises one or more permanent magnets, or an induction plate for coupling to an electromagnetic field generated in the stator. 
     
     
         40 . A railway system including at least two railway guide systems interfacing at a system conversion station, at least one railway guide system comprising a magnetic levitation railway track and the other railway guide system comprising one of a wheel railway track and a magnetic levitation railway track, the system conversion station comprising a bogie storage zone for storing one or more bogies adapted for locomotion on the first railway guide system and for storing bogies adapted for locomotion on the second railway guide system. 
     
     
         41 . The railway system according to  claim 40 , wherein the magnetic levitation railway track is a floor-mounted or an overhead magnetic levitation railway track. 
     
     
         42 . The railway system according to  claim 40 , wherein at least one of the railway guide systems is a magnetic levitation railway track in a vacuum tube. 
     
     
         43 . The railway system according to  claim 42 , wherein the system conversion station comprises an airlock with a chamber with sealing doors on either end of the chamber to allow a change in pressure from a first railway guide system to a second railway guide system. 
     
     
         44 . The railway system according to  claim 40 , further including a plurality of modular railway vehicles, each modular railway vehicle comprising:
 a carriage,   one or more bogies, and   a corresponding one or more coupling mechanisms interconnecting the bogies to the carriage,   the coupling mechanism comprising:
 a bogie coupling interface fixed to the bogie and a carriage coupling interface fixed to the carriage, 
 the bogie coupling interface being lockable and detachable to the carriage coupling interface allowing different bogies to be exchangeably attached to the carriage such that the modular railway vehicle may be adapted for circulation on railway guide systems of different types including at least a magnetic levitation railway track, 
 the carriage being provided with at least one carriage coupling interface on a floor of the carriage and at least one carriage coupling interface on a roof of the carriage. 
   
     
     
         45 . A railway system including at least two railway guide systems interfacing at a system conversion station, at least one railway guide system comprising a magnetic levitation railway track in a vacuum tube and the other railway guide system comprising one of a wheel railway track and a magnetic levitation railway track, wherein the system conversion station comprises an airlock with a chamber with sealing doors on either end of the chamber to allow a change in pressure from a first railway guide system to a second railway guide system, 
     
     
         46 . The railway system according to  claim 45 , wherein the system conversion station comprises a bogie storage zone for storing one or more bogies adapted for locomotion on the first railway guide system and for storing bogies adapted for locomotion on the second railway guide system. 
     
     
         47 . The railway system according to  claim 45 , wherein the magnetic levitation railway track is a floor-mounted or an overhead magnetic levitation railway track. 
     
     
         48 . The railway system according to  claim 45 , further including a plurality of modular railway vehicles, each modular railway vehicle comprising:
 a carriage,   one or more bogies, and   a corresponding one or more coupling mechanisms interconnecting the bogies to the carriage,   the coupling mechanism comprising:
 a bogie coupling interface fixed to the bogie and a carriage coupling interface fixed to the carriage, 
 the bogie coupling interface being lockable and detachable to the carriage coupling interface allowing different bogies to be exchangeably attached to the carriage such that the modular railway vehicle may be adapted for circulation on railway guide systems of different types including at least a magnetic levitation railway track, 
 the carriage being provided with at least one carriage coupling interface on a floor of the carriage and at least one carriage coupling interface on a roof of the carriage. 
   
     
     
         49 . A railway system including
 at least two railway guide systems interfacing at a system conversion station, at least one railway guide system comprising a magnetic levitation railway track and the other railway guide system comprising one of a wheel railway track and a magnetic levitation railway track, and   a plurality of modular railway vehicles each comprising a carriage, one or more bogies, and a corresponding one or more coupling mechanisms interconnecting the bogies to the carriage, the coupling mechanism comprising a bogie coupling interface fixed to the bogie and a carriage coupling interface fixed to the carriage, the bogie coupling interface being lockable and detachable to the carriage coupling interface allowing different bogies to be exchangeably attached to the carriage such that the modular railway vehicle may be adapted for circulation on railway guide systems of different types including at least said magnetic levitation railway track, the carriage being provided with at least one carriage coupling interface on a floor of the carriage and at least one carriage coupling interface on a roof of the carriage.   
     
     
         50 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein the magnetic levitation railway track is a floor-mounted or an overhead magnetic levitation railway track. 
     
     
         51 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein at least one of the railway guide systems is a magnetic levitation railway track in a vacuum tube. 
     
     
         52 . The railway system according to  claim 51 , wherein the system conversion station comprises an airlock with a chamber with sealing doors on either end of the chamber to allow a change in pressure from a first railway guide system to a second railway guide system. 
     
     
         53 . The railway system according to  claim 52 , wherein the bogies are selected from a group including bogies with wheel track engaging members and bogies with magnetic levitation track engaging members. 
     
     
         54 . The railway system according to  claim 53 , wherein the track engaging members are connected to a base of the bogie via a suspension. 
     
     
         55 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein the carriage comprises at least two carriage coupling interfaces under the carriage floor. 
     
     
         56 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein the carriage comprises at least two carriage coupling interfaces on the carriage roof. 
     
     
         57 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a guide pin on one of the bogie or the carriage and a complementary guide cavity on the other of the bogie or carriage, the guide pin and cavity having a tapered or conical shape portion. 
     
     
         58 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes pluggable electrical interconnections for establishing electrical contact between the carriage and the bogie for power and/or signal transmission. 
     
     
         59 . The railway system according to  claim 49 , comprising at least one propulsion system including a linear electric motor having a mover fixed to the modular railway vehicle for electromagnetic drive coupling to a stator mounted on a railway guide system. 
     
     
         60 . The railway system according to  claim 59 , wherein the mover comprises one or more permanent magnets, or an induction plate for coupling to an electromagnetic field generated in the stator.