PRT is electric. You can ride (across the Taxi2000 shop) in the demo vehicle, look at the motor, listen to the quiet. It's almost like sailing.
--David Shove On Thu, 6 Jan 2005, Resist America wrote: > In regard to our discussion of PRT, I have to say that > I like the bus system, but just one thing could be > improved if it were technically possible. Having > ridden the LRT enough times now, I think the use of > the electric motor is the nicest part of it. The > noise and fumes are so much less than any form of > petroelum driven transportation. If there were a way > that we could have buses driven by electricity, I > would be very much in favor of evolving by attrition > to that from diesel buses. I think the time is going > to come when it will have to happen. Perhaps the > initial planning should start as soon as possible. > Many many years ago, I lived in a city out west that > neither had street cars no diesel buses. It relied on > electric buses. But I'd hate to retreat back to that > system. I'd much rather see some system developed > where buses could run off batteries that would > recharge during layovers. Or perhaps some other hybrid > system. If fuel cells became feasible, that would be > excellent, too. > > One thing all these discussions fail to ever consider > is the economic environment. We seem to look at all > problems like this in an unchanged economic context. > But we know that is foolish. The economic context is > changing under our feet as we speak. Let's make sure > we have a plan that can cope with severe economic > change. In a time when even certain conservatives are > questioning our headlong plunge into resource > dependence, it makes no sense to plan as if that > dependence will be forever acceptable. I think that's > part of the thinking of PRT adovcates: Don't plan mass > transit because people will always use their personal > cars, no matter what the economic environment. We were > quite lucky in World War II that America had not yet > become attached to the car. Gas rationing would have > been very politically difficult had that happened. And > I can see some rationing system coming again in the > future, this time for homeland security. > > Minneapolis needs a strategic plan to stay viable in > these changing economic circumstances. > > Jim Mork -- Cooper > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL > PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
