Below are some questions that have been presented to us. Click on the question to advance to the answer. We invite you to pose your question to us. If it is general in nature, we'll post it here for others to read. Click here to send us your question.
Q: What is the difference between "light rail"
and "monorail"?
A: Light rail is a new name for "streetcars" which are one or two vehicles operating on rails on the ground, in traffic or in dedicated fenced-off (for safety) rights-of-way. Monorail generally operates above-the-ground and is a higher speed automated system, faster than the traffic, safe for the community and for the users. The HighRoad system configuration, "dual-sided monorail", is a later generation of monorail, with improved service and much lower costs of implementation. Because it does not need to "share" its right of way with cars and pedestrians, it can be automated.
Q: How can you provide the system since you have
never built such a system before?
A: HighRoad is a technology available for licensing. Cities, counties, or other entities can license the technology, then require that consulting engineers design it and general contractors build it to the designer's specifications. Or, a design-build team can license the HighRoad technology and offer it to cities, counties or other entities to meet their requirements for rapid transit. Such a team has been formed in Georgia called the Georgia Monorail Consortium, Inc..
Q: Why does the HighRoad Rapid Transit System cost
only half that of many other systems?
A: It uses only one monorail beam; it uses only a fraction of the land required for others; stations are smaller and more efficient; it uses smaller power supplies because of its unique design; it uses new but proven technologies and foregoes the mistakes of the past.
Q: How do we know that cost estimates are accurate?
A: Experienced construction engineers, manufacturers and contractors have reviewed the costs and agreed with the estimates; the costs are verified by using national cost estimating references and methods (RS Means construction cost reference).
Q: Where is a system in operation?
A: Due to the scale of the costs involved in building a "demonstration track" we have not built one. By the same reasoning, you'll notice that major aircraft manufacturers don't have a storefront window in which to display their ready-made products in hope of a future purchase... it's just not feasible. Today, automobile and aircraft manufacturers are producing and even testing "virtual vehicles" within computers before constructing the first one. This results in a greatly reduced final development cost and a more thorough design. It is our belief that such testing of the HighRoad system design will result in a solution of extremely low final development cost. The "off the shelf" components, however, are used daily in other applications.
Q: Why should we use an "unbuilt" technology
instead of the proven light rail or other technology?
A: Light rail and other technologies are proven to cost more, to provide less service, to be more disruptive, and to require operation subsidies. HighRoad costs less, provides better service for the masses as well as the individual , is far less disruptive during construction, and requires no operation subsidy. This has been validated repeatedly by other engineers' reviews.