Skybus: The bus, er tram er, something of the future 1969

[Guest ___]

 

posted w/o comment

[bikkuri bahn]

There was a lot of experimentation being done in transit and also high speed rail back in the 60's, but government funding was cut off in the 70's (nixon?).  You can see some relics at Pueblo, Colo's airport museum.

[Guest ___]

A section of SkyBus would become the foundation of a few miles of the South Busway. Skybus was dead by the time I was born in Pittsburgh in '74.The early 70's was a rough time for defense contractors trying to get in to the transit industry. You had Rohr going for the ADB, and building the 1000-series railcars for WMATA. AM General was trying to rework Flyer build coaches. Then you had Boeing-Vertrol trying to make LRV's for Boston and San Fran. It was a crazy time it was.

[bikkuri bahn]

I wonder what motivated defense contractors to enter the transit market- was it fear that weapons contracts would dry up with "vietnamization" in the SE Asian conflict?  Anyway, the results of these efforts illustrate the fact that companies with no experience in transit or rail should stay away- similarly, the widespread thinking in the U.S. along the lines of "we have the best universities in the world, and we put a man on the moon, we surely can build HSR with homegrown technology"...ah, no.  Just like a kid who plays excellent soccer in AYSO doesn't mean he will be a excellent little league baseball player.

[Tenorikuma]

That reminds me of the guideway buses we have here in Nagoya (and other Japanese cities too, I think). Basically, unsteerable buses that run on a special dedicated viaduct and stop at platforms that are like train stations.

[Guest ___]

My understanding of history was while a Republican, Nixon, a Californian was somewhat pro-transit. (I can debate both way on how pro-transport Nixon was) Nixon claims, plans were to wind down the war in nam, but there was heavy backlash and pressure from the defense industry which would have suffered greatly with the end of the conflict. The transit option was pushed though Congress by the administration as sort of a kick back to add a new revenue stream in to what would amount to a severe cut back in defense spending. Defense contractors would be given preferential treatment for new transit projects to offset revenue loss from the reduction of DoD contracts. The contractors such as Rohr and AM General also received substantial tax breaks from the federal government for every transit related bid they placed. By the late 70's and the change of the administration, a lot of these polices were rescinded, and by the time Ragen took office, only Grumman who bought Flxible from Rohr would still be in the transit market.

[marknewton]

Another video that reminds me of "Thunderbirds", only it's even funnier. Hard to believe this was ever seriously intended a s a form of public transport.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Mudkip Orange]

Whoa, early AGT. That reminds me, I need to drive out and ride the Morgantown PRT.