Kinetic Energy Systems for Moving People

This paper considers the need for improving urban transportation and the proposed air quality plans that have been recently announced by the Environmental Protection Agency for several of the more populated regional basins. The “transit diversion mandate” (the need for diversion of a considerable portion of urban travel from the automobile to public transit) is discussed. One proposed diversionary approach, the rubber-tired trolley coach, with its quiet, reliable, and pollution-free characteristics and an advanced LMSC kinetic energy flywheel which can be used to broaden considerably the capabilities of the trolley coach are described.