Modular vehicle construction and transportation system

In a vehicle transportation system comprising a plurality of preassembled self-supporting vehicle undercarriage modules and a plurality of preassembled self-supporting vehicle overcarriage modules wherein:

• any selected one of said overcarriage modules is releasably couplable wholly atop any selected one of said undercarriage modules for operation of said selected modules together as a vehicle;
• each of said undercarriage modules includes an associated power source in the module for supplying vehicle operating power;
• a first one of said overcarriage modules is releasably coupled to a first one of said undercarriage modules, the associated power source of said first undercarriage module being in need of maintenance service,
• a method of handling said first overcarriage module and said first undercarriage module at a predetermined site, said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) decoupling and separating said first overcarriage module from said first undercarriage module;
• then,
• (b) releasably coupling said first overcarriage module wholly atop a second one of said undercarriage modules, the associated power source of said second undercarriage module not being in need of maintenance service;
• (c) linking with said second undercarriage module a control means included with said first overcarriage module for controlling operation of said first overcarriage module and said second undercarriage module together as a vehicle;
• (d) providing maintenance service to the associated power source of said first undercarriage module while the same remains in situ in said first undercarriage module;
• and,
• (e) after providing said service, making said first undercarriage module available at said site for subsequent exchange with any of said other undercarriage modules.

In a vehicle transportation system comprising a plurality of preassembled self-supporting vehicle undercarriage modules and a preassembled self-supporting vehicle overcarriage module releasably coupled wholly atop a first one of said undercarriage modules for operation together with said first undercarriage module as a vehicle, each undercarriage module including an associated power source in said module for supplying vehicle operating power, each such power source being in need of periodic maintenance service, a method of exchanging a second one of said undercarriage modules for said first undercarriage module and providing maintenance service to the associated power source of said first undercarriage module, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) driving said first undercarriage module with said overcarriage module coupled thereto to a module exchange site;
• (b) then decoupling said overcarriage module from said first undercarriage module;
• (c) then separating said overcarriage module and said first undercarriage module to permit coupling alignment between said overcarriage module and said second undercarriage module;
• (d) then positioning said overcarriage module and said second undercarriage module in coupling alignment;
• (e) then releasably coupling said overcarriage module wholly atop said second undercarriage module, and linking with said second undercarriage module a control means included with said overcarriage module for controlling operation of said overcarriage module and said second undercarriage module together as a vehicle;
• (f) then driving said second undercarriage module with said overcarriage module coupled thereto away from said exchange site;
• and,
• (g) after said separating step, providing maintenance service to said associated power source of said first undercarriage module while the same remains in situ in said first undercarriage module and then making said first undercarriage module available for subsequent exchange with any of said other undercarriage modules.