How Best to Introduce Light-Beam Traffic

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little."
(John F. Kennedy - US President 1961 - 1963)

Anfang ur cities are certainly not made for beam traffic systems. The beams constitute what is commonly known as a new "infrastructure". Most of us want to stay on the ground when travelling, so getting people to accept this mode of commuting is a question of psychology. But the fact is; the general public is very adaptable, and people will quickly accept new ways of travelling, if they find them smooth and affordable.
The real stumbling block, as always, are the politicians and city planners who are afraid to take on the responsibility of introducing this new infrastructure.
Older persons, who usually have the decisive positions, are also more loath to introduce changes. The way technological development in human society takes place is that the young generation adopts the new technology and, because this new technology is usually better and more competitive, it gradually takes hold.
Sometimes, the present situation becomes unbearable, and then the decision makers are forced to act and do something radical about the situation. The traffic situation in many cities in the world is a case in point!

General
Transportation of People
Handling of Freight
Motor Vehicle Traffic
Examples of usefulness for the beam network
Everything has to be paid for. You can read about the economic side of introducing automatic beam systems on the page about the economy of light-beam traffic.

1. General

here are various ways that a city could choose to introduce the beamtraffic system. Let's assume here that one chooses to adopt the FLYWAY, since this is the best system. Then, at the present stage, one has to consider that some items, notably the elevators, have not been thoroughly tested in a system such as this. Consequently, one should start with building a test run, preferably at a University campus, as has been done in the USA and in Dortmund, Germany. This is because:	The beamcars have to be kept running and be used under realistic conditions The beamcars should be used by people with a positive attitude to this kind of innovations, and willing to participate in experimentations The commuters should not have to rely solely on this transportation during this initial stage.

The first phase would be to build a a test installation in a suitable location, for the purpose of testing various aspects of functionality. For completeness, this test installation should have a few nodes, sloping beams, etc. A single track between two points is not much of a test. When deemed safe, the general public should of course be invited to travel as well.
Fairly soon, when the system (possibly after modifications) has been ascertained to be safe and functional, one should construct real beam routes on isolated sites around the city, where they are most needed; in parallel to congested roads, where interconnections at present are awkward, and so forth. These sites will quickly generate revenues, which is an important incentive for the city planners to keep extending the beam routes.
The third stage should come pretty early; to interconnect these isolated stretches of beams into the first, embryonic network. As this network gradually grows in size, becomes more complex and carries more traffic, one will have time to deal with the growing pains as they develop. An important consideration will of course be to make computer simulations for all planned extensions, evaluate the consequences and set relevant parameters so that problems can be handled with plenty of redundant traffic capacity.
A fourth stage would be to interconnect small, local networks, interconnected with trunk lines, as shown in the illustration. These trunks should emphasize the transportation of motor vehicles by providing flatcars suitable for the purpose. These trunk lines would consist of sturdier beams, which could handle heavier vehicles than the local beams.
Division of traffic between long-distance trunk lines and local beams
Figure 1:2

The first phase would be to build a a test installation in a suitable location, for the purpose of testing various aspects of functionality. For completeness, this test installation should have a few nodes, sloping beams, etc. A single track between two points is not much of a test. When deemed safe, the general public should of course be invited to travel as well. Fairly soon, when the system (possibly after modifications) has been ascertained to be safe and functional, one should construct real beam routes on isolated sites around the city, where they are most needed; in parallel to congested roads, where interconnections at present are awkward, and so forth. These sites will quickly generate revenues, which is an important incentive for the city planners to keep extending the beam routes.	The third stage should come pretty early; to interconnect these isolated stretches of beams into the first, embryonic network. As this network gradually grows in size, becomes more complex and carries more traffic, one will have time to deal with the growing pains as they develop. An important consideration will of course be to make computer simulations for all planned extensions, evaluate the consequences and set relevant parameters so that problems can be handled with plenty of redundant traffic capacity. A fourth stage would be to interconnect small, local networks, interconnected with trunk lines, as shown in the illustration. These trunks should emphasize the transportation of motor vehicles by providing flatcars suitable for the purpose. These trunk lines would consist of sturdier beams, which could handle heavier vehicles than the local beams.	Figure 1:2

When the technique for the system to be built has been thoroughly tested in other locations, this phase can be skipped. Instead, one can follow the growth of an urban network roughly as is shown in these illustrations. The priority will be to:

provide relief for congested streets by replacing buses with beams,
build beams where there is a heavy demand,
also to build beams to industrial areas and shopping malls, to provide for freight handling.
Network growth, phase 1
Figure 1:5
The first beams will be erected where there is a heavy demand from travellers. Thus, revenue will come fairly quickly, and pay for the original investment. Network growth, phase 2
Figure 1:6
As revenues from travellers and freight hauling allows, and maybe other sources of money as well, the network is expanded to where the need is greatest. So far, only heavy beams have been used, and big vehicles dominate during the day. At nights and weekends, smaller vehicles can be used.
Network growth, phase 3
Figure 1:7
In the next phase, beams are tied together to provide alternative routes, as well as reaching new locations. Slimmer beams for light vehicles (depicted in blue), are also being built, to the city´s inner suburbs. At this stage, more vehicles of the smaller kind will be used. Network growth, phase 4
Figure 1:8
As revenues comes in at an accelerating rate, beams out to outlying suburbs are being built, most of them of the slimmer (cheaper) kind. But trunklines for heavy vehicles are also built, where one can foresee a future need. The network in the inner city gets a finer mesh. Network growth, phase 5
Figure 1:9
The emphasis in the later stages of expansion is to provide a finer mesh, both for inner and outer suburbs. Trunklines are built to nearby cities. The finer mesh also means that some of the original heavy beams can be replaced by lighter beams, if so desired, since the finer mesh provides alternative routes for the traffic.

2. Transportation of People

uppose, as is often the case, that various traffic handling systems from different manufacturers are installed in an urban area, over a length of time. They each do their "own thing", and cannot easily communicate with each other. Such systems are local trains, subways, streetcars, buses and also automatic systems. Their lack of communication ability with each other is manifest insofar as the travelers have to take responsibility for transferring themselves between the systems; checking timetables to see if any bus transport will coincide with their arrival by train at a station, and so forth. As cities grow, and frequently merge with nearby also-growing cities, the need for integration between these transport systems will also grow, and the situation will soon become unsustainable, for the cities, the travelers, the business community and for the region as a whole. The travelers have to change between various transports and wait for their connections. The transport companies or municipal departments responsible for the mass transit systems will have to run and maintain expensive systems with decreasing use and revenue. The municipalities and counties will have to accept long, improductive travel times for commuters. This is a strong factor in making skilled workers (who have a choice of job opportunities) decide to move away from the region. The work force will have fewer jobs to choose from, within an acceptable travel time. The employers will likewise get a smaller potential workforce to choose from when hiring qualified people. If, on the other hand, the same, open and automatic transport system could be used for all transportation needs in the region, there could still be a healthy competition between various suppliers of different components of this same system. Adjoining transport systems could, thanks to the standardized interfaces, easily communicate with each other. Each transport assignment in the region could then be judged separately as to its profitability. When developments of this system has proceeded far enough, the various parts could then gradually be connected into larger units. The travelers would then no longer have to switch transports along the way to get where they want to go.

uppose, as is often the case, that various traffic handling systems from different manufacturers are installed in an urban area, over a length of time. They each do their "own thing", and cannot easily communicate with each other. Such systems are local trains, subways, streetcars, buses and also automatic systems. Their lack of communication ability with each other is manifest insofar as the travelers have to take responsibility for transferring themselves between the systems; checking timetables to see if any bus transport will coincide with their arrival by train at a station, and so forth.

As cities grow, and frequently merge with nearby also-growing cities, the need for integration between these transport systems will also grow, and the situation will soon become unsustainable, for the cities, the travelers, the business community and for the region as a whole.

The travelers have to change between various transports and wait for their connections.

The transport companies or municipal departments responsible for the mass transit systems will have to run and maintain expensive systems with decreasing use and revenue. The municipalities and counties will have to accept long, improductive travel times for commuters. This is a strong factor in making skilled workers (who have a choice of job opportunities) decide to move away from the region. The work force will have fewer jobs to choose from, within an acceptable travel time. The employers will likewise get a smaller potential workforce to choose from when hiring qualified people.

If, on the other hand, the same, open and automatic transport system could be used for all transportation needs in the region, there could still be a healthy competition between various suppliers of different components of this same system. Adjoining transport systems could, thanks to the standardized interfaces, easily communicate with each other. Each transport assignment in the region could then be judged separately as to its profitability. When developments of this system has proceeded far enough, the various parts could then gradually be connected into larger units. The travelers would then no longer have to switch transports along the way to get where they want to go.

Illustration contributed by Hans Kylberg at Visulogik

3. Handling of Freight

he beam network can also handle freight. The transportation of goods could be made all the way into residential areas, warehouses and shopping malls without inconvenience to the surroundings. Growing cities without access to beamtraffic will result in more truck transports of goods to the cities. As the need for recycling of garbage steadily grows, the desire for an effective, differentiated recycling of refuse will lead to more truck transports out from the cities.	Everywhere along the railroads where there is space for sidetracks, the beamcars could fetch or deposit containers and flatcars with freight directly onto the railway cars. In the corresponding manner, the beamcars could enter the railway platforms for easy transfer of passengers to passenger trains. This would increase goods and passenger flow to the railway, making it more profitable.

4. Motor Vehicle Traffic

lso, motor vehicles could be moved past stretches of roads that suffer from traffic congestion. The motorists that use this service would help reduce accidents and air pollution, while at the same time with their fees contribute to the expansion of the beam network.

In a longer perspective, the built-up areas of a region where the beam network reaches everywhere could be equipped with car pools, making electric cars or hybrid cars available to the residents on a renting or leasing basis. They could get their batteries recharged while being carried under the beams. One scenario is that they could be booked from home or from any place with a telephone, internet-connected computer or terminal connected to the beam network.

There are two general ways to implement this function:

Hauling road vehicles on flatcars.
Using dual-mode vehicles, that can both the beams and the roads.

See other webpages on this site for further details about these options.

The car could then be fetched at any desirable site within a couple of minutes after being ordered by the customer during the transport.

The customer would wait at the site while the car is lowered far enough that the car's contactless card reader or similar device detects the customer's card. Verifying the customer's identy, the car would then be put down on the ground.

Using this system, nobody would need to own a motorcar in order to travel within the region.
These electric cars would not need as large batteries as electric cars outside this region. The cars would be used to reach areas where the network does not reach (because there will always be economical limits to how fine-meshed and far-reaching a beam network would be).

5. Examples of usefulness for the beam network

as the network gradually is extended

Cross-connections between local train stations and subway stations belonging to different routes. Connections between airports and nearby railway/subway stations. Supplementary conveyance within a suburb to the nearest railway/subway station. Interconnections in a newbuilt suburb between the elevators in houses with tenements or offices and shopping malls and service facilities . Reclamation in an existing suburb of areas previously occupied by streets, parking areas and the like, for use by pedestrians, bikers and greenery. Transportation of goods between manufacturers, warehouses and shops, thus replacing existing trucking of goods along the roads. Serving as go-betweens from on re-distribution center to another, handling all kinds of freight between supplier-distributor-customer. Recycling of garbage could be simplified by using beam cars to automatically fetch containers with sorted refuse at scheduled times and take them to depots. Transfer of workers and goods within an industrial area and to/from stations/depots in close proximity to it.		Transport of goods between a harbor and a railway station. Construction beneath a city of a flexible underground railway, for large amounts of passengers, goods and motorcars. Within an older part of a city, construction of caissons beneath the streets, for transport of passengers, information, goods and refuse. In parallel with these caissons, one could lay down easily accessible conduits for water, sewage, etc. Transport of visitors to/from sports arenas or exhibition sites. Replacing roads in a nature preserve or national park. Facilitate communication within a university or college campus. Easing traffic congestion on overcrowded freeways and other streets. Transfer of motorcar passengers to and from a parking area on the outskirt of a carfree area. Transfer of motorcars over or under a strait. Transport of motorcars through exhaust-free tunnels underneath a city.

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When the technique for the system to be built has been thoroughly tested in other locations, this phase can be skipped. Instead, one can follow the growth of an urban network roughly as is shown in these illustrations. The priority will be to: provide relief for congested streets by replacing buses with beams, build beams where there is a heavy demand, also to build beams to industrial areas and shopping malls, to provide for freight handling.	Figure 1:5 The first beams will be erected where there is a heavy demand from travellers. Thus, revenue will come fairly quickly, and pay for the original investment.	Figure 1:6 As revenues from travellers and freight hauling allows, and maybe other sources of money as well, the network is expanded to where the need is greatest. So far, only heavy beams have been used, and big vehicles dominate during the day. At nights and weekends, smaller vehicles can be used.
Figure 1:7 In the next phase, beams are tied together to provide alternative routes, as well as reaching new locations. Slimmer beams for light vehicles (depicted in blue), are also being built, to the city´s inner suburbs. At this stage, more vehicles of the smaller kind will be used.	Figure 1:8 As revenues comes in at an accelerating rate, beams out to outlying suburbs are being built, most of them of the slimmer (cheaper) kind. But trunklines for heavy vehicles are also built, where one can foresee a future need. The network in the inner city gets a finer mesh.	Figure 1:9 The emphasis in the later stages of expansion is to provide a finer mesh, both for inner and outer suburbs. Trunklines are built to nearby cities. The finer mesh also means that some of the original heavy beams can be replaced by lighter beams, if so desired, since the finer mesh provides alternative routes for the traffic.