All-weather guided vehicle system

A guided vehicle system comprising:

• a continuous suspension/propulsion channel, said suspension/propulsion channel having an opening through an underside thereof, said suspension/propulsion channel supported above the ground;
• reduced friction support means provided within said suspension/propulsion channel and a plurality of nozzles arranged for issuing fluid jets primarily along a common longitudinal direction of said suspension/propulsion channel;
• a carriage including a suspension/propulsion member extending through said opening for receipt within said suspension/propulsion channel for operative connection with said support means to suspend said carriage for travel along a length of said suspension/propulsion channel, said suspension/propulsion member having a plurality of directionally biased impulse vanes for cooperation with said nozzles, said impulse vanes being connected to said carriage by vertical members extending through said opening in said propulsion channel;
• and
• a vehicle carried by said carriage.

A guided vehicle system comprising:

• a tubular guideway supported above the ground, said guideway containing pressurized air;
• a deck extending laterally from said guideway along a length of said guideway;
• a first carriage supported by said deck, said first carriage including a plurality of directionally biased impulse vanes;
• a first plurality of nozzles for issuing air jets primarily along a common guideway direction, said first plurality of nozzles communicating with said guideway to receive said pressurized air and being arranged to cooperate with said impulse vanes of said first carriage to propel said first carriage;
• a first passenger vehicle carried by said first carriage.

A guided vehicle system comprising:

• a tubular guideway supported above the ground, said guideway containing pressurized air;
• a pair of track rails supported by said tubular guideway and parallel thereto;
• a carriage having multiple wheels engaging said pair of track rails for guided travel along said pair of track rails, said carriage further having a transversely extending arcuate roller track and a plurality of directionally biased impulse vanes;
• a plurality of nozzles for issuing air jets primarily along a common guideway direction, said plurality of nozzles communicating with said tubular guideway to receive said pressurized air and being arranged to cooperate with said impulse vanes of said carriage to propel said carriage;
• and
• a vehicle connected to said carriage for travel with said carriage, said vehicle having a plurality of rollers in an arcuate configuration corresponding to said roller track of said carriage.

A track rail for a vehicle comprising:

• an elastically deformable material defining an internal volume for securing an absorptive medium;
• an absorptive medium;
• a support frame adapted to secure said track rail to a surface;
• means for distributing forces applied to said track rail by a wheels of a passing vehicle;
• said means selected from the group consisting of strip springs and tire beams.