System and method for boarding and letting off passengers in trains efficiently so that the train does not have to stop at the stations

Abstract

One of the biggest problems of efficiency in trains is the time wasted for boarding and letting off passengers at the stations. Since trains carry a very heavy mass, typically it can take a few minutes for the train to decelerate and come to a full stop and a few minutes to wait till all the passengers who want to get off or board the train finish boarding or exiting, and then again a few minutes to finish accelerating, and thus each stop at a station can typically slow down a train by 5-15 minutes. This is especially noticeable in fast trains, such as for example trains that go at 150 Mph or more, so that the same trip with the same type of train can take for example 3.5 hours when no or almost no stops are made on the way and 7.5 hours if the train stops at every station. The present invention solves the above problem by enabling passengers to board the train or to get off at each desired station without needing the train to stop or even slow down, based on using an intermediary device of one or more coaches that are used for getting on or off the train while the train is traveling preferably at full speed. The invention solves various problems involved in implementing such a solution. In addition, the patent covers also a few additional relevant improvements in trains, such as for example methods for faster acceleration and/or deceleration, preferably by using one or more high friction surfaces (preferably strips) that are preferably installed between or outside the metal strips of the tracks, at least near the area of stations and/or near crossroads (in case of need for emergency braking there), and ability to carry cars.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A method for improved acceleration and/or stopping for trains comprising the steps of using one or more high friction stripes on or near tracks for improved acceleration and/or stopping and wherein at least one of the following-features exists: 
 a. Said high friction stripes are installed between or outside the metal stripes of the tracks at least near the area of stations;    b. Using special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches that can touch said high friction stripes;    c. Using special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches and/or from special additional cart or carts that can be lowered to touch said high friction stripes;    d. Using toothed wheels and the high friction stripes contain groves;    e. Using a changeable gear in train's engine;    f. Using additional magnetic force to aid acceleration and/or deceleration.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The train uses a hybrid engine, which works on DC while accelerating, and then the engine returns to AC after the acceleration;    b. During acceleration the AC is converted to DC on the fly by a series of diodes or by other means;    c. There are both an AC and a DC engine or parts of the engine, so that the DC engine or element is used during acceleration and the AC element or engine is used while traveling at high speed;    d. A special additional engine cart is added to the train, so that the normal engine cart uses an AC engine and the special added cart has a DC engine and has special wheels and/or brakes which work with the special friction surface or strip or strips for the fast acceleration and/or deceleration;    e. The engine is improved to include a changeable gear and/or the special added engine cart which is used mainly for acceleration and/or deceleration comes with such a gear;    f. If an AC engine is used, in order to accelerate faster, either the power to the engine is increased during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to a lower gear and thus has more power during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to lower gear and also its speed can be increased at the same time, so that the result can be more power at the same speed.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. A special cart with brakes which work against the special friction strip or strips is added in addition or instead;    b. A special cart with brakes which work against the special friction strip or strips is added in addition or instead, at the end of the train;    c. The friction strip or strips are made from a metal similar to the metal disk used in cars for braking, and/or the special brakes that work against it are from a material similar to the material from which braking disks in cars are made;    d. Wheels that are used for acceleration against the special friction strip or strips are robber wheels or wheels covered with rubber.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The friction strip is between the two normal metal strips or the railway, and/or has a profile like the letter “I”;    b. The brakes are applied sideways against the vertical part of the “I” in the special strip or in the normal railway metal strips, by pressure from both sides;    c. The wheels for acceleration are applied to the top of the strip and/or also in addition or instead from the sides.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The friction strip or strips (or other shaped surface) is included at least near stations and/or also at crossroad or junctions where emergency braking might be needed to avoid accidents;    b. The special strip is fastened to the ground at certain intervals;    c. The special strip is fastened to the ground at certain intervals by hooks or anchors;    d. If the special brakes and/or acceleration wheels are applied to the normal existing metal strips of the railway, then these metal strips and/or the wooden bridges between them are similarly fastened to the ground with hooks or anchors at certain intervals;    e. An automatic ABS system like in cars is also added, so that if one or more wheels or brakes become locked or starts sliding they can be automatically released;    f. The special strip is created by pouring asphalt or some other material over the wooden bridges that connect between the metal strips;    g. This is accompanied by fastening the normal metal strips and/or the wooden bridges or the railway to the ground    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the normal coaches and/or the special braking cart added at the end of the train have elements which can create additional air resistance for braking and/or for pushing the train downwards against the strips;  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein these elements are based on concave shapes like bowls or parachutes and/or can be rotated and/or extruded or retracted so that they create the air resistance only when needed for braking.  
   
   
       29 . A system for improved acceleration and/or stopping for trains comprising one or more high friction strips on or near tracks for improved acceleration and/or stopping and wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. Said high friction strips are installed between or outside the metal stripes of the tracks at least near the area of stations;    b. There are special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches that can touch said high friction strips;    c. There are special wheels on the engine cart and/or in normal coaches and/or from special additional cart or carts that can be lowered to touch said high friction strips;    d. There are toothed wheels and the high friction strips contain groves;    e. There is a changeable gear in train's engine;    f. There are additional magnetic force to aid acceleration and/or deceleration.    
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The train uses a hybrid engine, which works on DC while accelerating, and then the engine returns to AC after the acceleration;    b. During acceleration the AC is converted to DC on the fly by a series of diodes or by other means;    c. There are both an AC and a DC engine or parts of the engine, so that the DC engine or element is used during acceleration and the AC element or engine is used while traveling at high speed;    d. A special additional engine cart is added to the train, so that the normal engine cart uses an AC engine and the special added cart has a DC engine and has special wheels and/or brakes which work with the special friction surface or strip or strips for the fast acceleration and/or deceleration;    e. The engine is improved to include a changeable gear and/or the special added engine cart which is used mainly for acceleration and/or deceleration comes with such a gear;    f. If an AC engine is used, in order to accelerate faster, either the power to the engine is increased during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to a lower gear and thus has more power during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to lower gear and also its speed can be increased at the same time, so that the result can be more power at the same speed.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. A special cart with brakes which work against the special friction strip or strips is added in addition or instead;    b. A special cart with brakes which work against the special friction strip or strips is added in addition or instead, at the end of the train;    c. The friction strip or strips are made from a metal similar to the metal disk used in cars for braking, and/or the special brakes that work against it are from a material similar to the material from which braking disks in cars are made;    d. Wheels that are used for acceleration against the special friction strip or strips are robber wheels or wheels covered with rubber.    
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The friction strip is between the two normal metal strips or the railway, and/or has a profile like the letter “I”;    b. The brakes are applied sideways against the vertical part of the “I” in the special strip or in the normal railway metal strips, by pressure from both sides;    c. The wheels for acceleration are applied to the top of the strip and/or also in addition or instead from the sides.    
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the following features exists: 
 a. The friction strip or strips (or other shaped surface) is included at least near stations and/or also at crossroad or junctions where emergency braking might be needed to avoid accidents;    b. The special strip is fastened to the ground at certain intervals;    c. The special strip is fastened to the ground at certain intervals by hooks or anchors;    d. If the special brakes and/or acceleration wheels are applied to the normal existing metal strips of the railway, then these metal strips and/or the wooden bridges between them are similarly fastened to the ground with hooks or anchors at certain intervals;    e. An automatic ABS system like in cars is also added, so that if one or more wheels or brakes become locked or starts sliding they can be automatically released;    f. The special strip is created by pouring asphalt or some other material over the wooden bridges that connect between the metal strips;    h. This is accompanied by fastening the normal metal strips and/or the wooden bridges or the railway to the ground.    
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the normal coaches and/or the special braking cart added at the end of the train have elements which can create additional air resistance for braking and/or for pushing the train downwards against the strips;  
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 29  wherein these elements are based on concave shapes like bowls or parachutes and/or can be rotated and/or extruded or retracted so that they create the air resistance only when needed for braking.  
   
   
       36 . A system for improved acceleration and/or stopping for trains comprising a system for using DC electricity during acceleration and AC after the acceleration, comprising at least one of the following: 
 a. A hybrid engine, which works on DC while accelerating, and then the engine returns to AC after the acceleration;    b. A hybrid engine in which during acceleration the AC is converted to DC on the fly by a series of diodes or by other means;    g. There are both an AC and a DC engine or parts of the engine, so that the DC engine or element is used during acceleration and the AC element or engine is used while traveling at high speed;    h. A special additional engine cart is added to the train, so that the normal engine cart uses an AC engine and the special added cart has a DC engine and has special wheels and/or brakes which work with the special friction surface or strip or strips for the fast acceleration and/or deceleration;    i. The engine is improved to include a changeable gear and/or the special added engine cart which is used mainly for acceleration and/or deceleration comes with such a gear;    j. If an AC engine is used, in order to accelerate faster, either the power to the engine is increased during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to a lower gear and thus has more power during acceleration, or the engine is shifted to lower gear and also its speed can be increased at the same time, so that the result can be more power at the same speed.