Urban Transport System Incorporating “Roller Coaster” Principles

24 February 2009

Japan for Sustainability. The Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo (IIS), and Senyo Kogyo Co. and its group company (the companies are specialized in the construction of amusement park facilities) recently built a track line to test an energy-saving urban transportation system at the Chiba Experimental Station of IIS in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Eco-Ride prototype. Click to enlarge.

The aim of the Eco-Ride joint project is to develop an energy-saving drive system using the height differences of rail tracks, as well as to develop a high-performance train and rail that produces less vibration and noise, by adopting an advanced coupling structure to prevent derailment.

The test track was constructed as a rail course about 100 meters long with a height difference of about three meters and a maximum downward slope of 7.4 degrees. A box-type vehicle will operate at 20 km/h (12 mph) on the track to generate electricity using the forces of air resistance and the speed of the train.

On commercial rail tracks, lift motors will be used at multiple places to move the train up slopes to gain potential energy using the same principal as a roller coaster. It will operate at an average speed of 20 km/h, with a maximum of 40 km/h.

The project has been in progress since the 2006 fiscal year, under the sponsorship of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The system is aimed at traveling short distances of less than 10 km, and is expected to operate between mass-transit sites such as rail and subway stations and local transit systems such as minibuses and taxis.

Energy consumption of this transport system is estimated to be one-third the energy consumed by a bus. The construction cost is projected to be between ¥2-3 billion (about US$22-33 million)—about one-fifth the cost of monorail construction. The project launch is planned for 2012.