- Aerobus
Aerobus is a self-propelled electrically-powered bus-like vehicle riding on a suspended overhead cable. The cable arrangement, similar to a
suspension bridge , allows for long spans of up to 600 meters between pylons. The Aerobus system was invented in the late 1960s by Gerhard Mueller of theGMD Mueller aerial lift company inSwitzerland [ [http://aerobus.com/history.html The History of Aerobus International, Inc ] ] . The patents to Aerobus are currently owned by Aerobus International Ltd. ofHouston ,Texas [ [http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2004/04/19/story2.html Aerobus on track for aerial monorail - Houston Business Journal: ] ] [ [http://texas-common-sense.blogspot.com/2007/03/more-proof-that-metro-is-out-of-control.html Texas Common Sense: More proof that Metro is out of control ] ] .Installations
* 1970 First test track in
Schmerikon (Switzerland )
* 1975 Test track sold and moved toMont-Sainte-Anne (Canada ) where it stayed in operation until 1992.
* 1974 New test track inDietlikon (Switzerland ).
* 1975 Temporary installation inMannheim (Germany ) with 8 cars and 2.2 million people transported in 6 months [ [http://www.rothenhoefer-wiesloch.de/bahn/Aerobus.html Aerobus Mannheim 1975 ] ] .
* 2007 Final Approval for construction [ [http://www.aerobus.com/weihai3.html Final approval for competion ] ] of a 4.2km long installation carried by 8 pylons inWeihai (China ).External links
* [http://www.aerobus.com Official Aerobus web page]
* [http://www.rothenhoefer-wiesloch.de/bahn/Aerobus.html Very nice photos of the Mannheim installation]References
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