In message
, at
02:16:21 on Tue, 29 Jan 2008, Mwmbwls
remarked:
I understand the pods can be fairly easilly mounted on pillars --
lighter than the DLR, although presumably less capacity than a DLR at
full rate (say 1.3 people per car, one car per 5 seconds, 1000 people
per hour).

That's equivelent to a DLR at ~60 people per carriage, 2 carriage per
train, 8tph, more frequent than many branches.

The size of *a station to disgorge one car per 15 seconds (assume 3
stations either side of a central coridor) would be fairly high, but
it works on ski lifts.

However people on ski lifts are not normally encumbered with
suitcases, baby buggies and hurricane proof rucksacks. The ultra
system will work at Heathrow as it is intended to operate from
relatively low density car parks to a high density terminal.

The trial installation of pods will be going between *business* parking
and the new BA terminal. It's not going to be used by huge numbers of
families going on holiday.

If you want to see the exact opposite, try watching the shuttle buses
loading at the mid-stay at Luton - kitchen sink doesn't even *begin* to
describe the situation!

--
Roland Perry