Introduction
The Coaster is a European project from Coaster GmbH for an automated transportation passenger system. Each Coaster vehicle carries 6 to 10 people and runs on a track similar to a roller coaster. The vehicles are batter powered, with recharging at the stations. The Coaster does not run to a timetable, but instead vehicles are computer scheduled at customer request.
The first production Coaster opened in the Swiss ski resort of Arosa in December 2006. There is little information in English about the Coaster. The German Wikipedia quotes the Coster as having a capacity of 3000 passenger journeys per hour and a top speed of approximately 80 km/h.
Coaster vehicle technical specifications
| Total Weight | Battery Voltage | Controller | Gearbox | Battery Charger | Auxiliaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| max. 2500 kg | 300 V; ZEBRA | 2 x DMC420 | 2 x ASM810 | DCDC on-board; SpecialTrafo in Station; DC-Bus by bus bars | BNW425 BCM200 |
Personal rapid transit
The Coaster is similar to a number of other personal transportation system proposals, such as the Australian Bishop Austrans system. Unlike the Austrans system, which is powered from the rails, the Coaster relies on batteries. This allows lower cost track to be built more rapidly, but at a higher maintenance cost.
Personal rapid transit (PRT), also called personal automated transport (PAT), is a category of proposed public transportation systems designed to offer automated on-demand non-stop transportation, usually targeted at urban use, on a network of specially-built guideways.
Originating in the mid 1960s, the design concepts and engineering challenges of PRT are well understood. Elements of PRT design have influenced the design of some existing people mover systems, and many fully automated mass transit systems exist. However, as of 2006, questions still remain concerning production and operational costs, safety, aesthetics, and public acceptance of PRT, since there are no completed installations.
From: Personal rapid transit, Wikipedia, 2007