This invention relates to transportation systems in which driven vehicles are movable along a track, and particularly, but not exclusively, to such systems employing electrically driven fully automatic vehicles. It has for its objects to reduce the cost and visual intrusion of the track, and to increase reliability as well as providing such other improvements as will be hereinafter mentioned.
Track costs may be reduced by reducing vehicle size and weight. In a transportation system according to the invention, vehicle size and weight may be reduced by means whereby trains of smaller individual vehicles are enabled, collectively, to carry as many passagers per unit time as the shorter trains of individually larger vehicles which have generally been employed hitherto. Track visual intrusion may consequently be reduced by the smaller track size permitted by reduced vehicle size. Reliability may be increased by the provision on each vehicle of an on-board diagnostic computer, whereby the cause of any incipient breakdown may be established and, provided it is safe to do so, the vehicle concerned may complete its journey before being withdrawn from service.