 |
| A Japanese bus becomes a train in 15 seconds |
The world's first dual-mode car will make its debut in Haiwang, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, on Saturday, and the bus can be converted into a train for use on roads and railways.
This dual-mode vehicle, or DMV, can be converted from a highway bus to a railroad train in 15 seconds, with the push of a button to lower the steel wheels onto the rail.
When returning to the road, the mode switch flips in the opposite direction and the steel wheels retract to allow the rubber tires to run.
This dual-mode vehicle can carry 21 people - including the driver - with a length of approximately 8 metres. Its weight is 5850 kg, which makes it much lighter than ordinary railway cars.
On the train, its speed is up to 60 kilometers per hour. However, things can go much faster on the road, up to 100 kilometers per hour, depending on the speed limit.
It plans to start operating under the supervision of the Asa Coastal Railway. It connects Tokushima and Kochi prefectures with Shikoku, one of the four largest islands in Japan.
Once construction begins, the bus will travel from Awa Coast Cultural Village in Tokushima Prefecture to Omiko Tomo in Kochi Prefecture.
Asa Coastal Railways has a fleet of three DMV buses. The vehicle aims to attract tourism to the region and reduce the migration of people to it.
Along the way, passengers can stop at Shishikoy Hot Spring, one of the area's biggest tourist attractions.
According to the Asa Coastal Railway, it runs through the beach, the rural town of Cayo, and a portion of the coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean, making it ideal for sightseeing.
Additionally, in the event of an earthquake, the DMV can be used to provide rapid assistance to victims by road or rail.
The world's first dual-mode car enters service in Japan
The Asa Coastal Railway also hopes that the DMV will strengthen the local transportation system, particularly to help local seniors.
In a statement issued by the Asa Coastal Railway, it said: The DMV is the first vehicle in the world that can travel on tracks and roads, making local transportation more convenient.
Dual mode vehicles, also known as road and rail vehicles, are not a new invention. Often used for railway maintenance and inspection purposes.
Back in the 1930s: the British were testing a railway bus called the Karrier Ro-Railer on the Nikai, an abandoned line in Hertfordshire.
Although it has been working for several months. But it didn't work. This concept has been implemented all over the world with varying degrees of success.
New South Wales Railways experimented with trams and highways in Australia in the 1970s, and Schi-Stra operated in Germany from the 1950s to the 1970s.