Friction and rack and pinion locomotive

In a suspended railroad, a combination comprising a monorail having an elongated friction section and an elongated rack section, one of said sections being superimposed upon the other section;

• at least one car suspended on said monorail;
• and drive means for moving said car along said rail, said drive means comprising a friction wheel in frictional engagement with said friction section, a gear wheel coaxial with said friction wheel and movable in axial direction relative to the latter between an active position engaged with said rack section and an inactive position disengaged therefrom, means for moving said gear wheel between said positions thereof and comprising an elongated hollow shaft coaxially projecting from said gear wheel and forming a double-acting cylinder, stationary piston means in said cylinder and dividing the interior thereof in an upper and lower pressure chamber, means for switching fluid under pressure between said chambers to thereby move said gear wheel between said positions thereof, support means supporting said friction wheel and said gear wheel with said hollow shaft for rotation about a common axis, and means operatively connected to said friction wheel and said gear wheel for simultaneous rotating the same about said common axis.