Concepts like this make me wonder if these aerospace companies weren't just trying to bilk the government out of grant money, considering that the Japanese and the French had already mostly figured out how to build a decent high speed system. There was no need to reinvent the wheel, or remove them altogether in this case.
Agreed - it's amazing to think that a transportation system that would require so much energy to operate would be thought of as practical by a federal governmental entity. I guess the government wanted to show it's doing something impressive, no matter how much it costs and how little practical use it has. Thank you for your comment and for watching!
The remaining French Aerotrauns (both of them) are being moved in France from one museum to a storage depot. @TheTimTraveller has made two UA-cam videos about that (he tries to do live videos, not just speak over photographs). He visited the museum and made UA-cam videos of that. Has anyone visited and videod the Aerotrain in Pueblo?
There is a video out there on the moving of the Aerotrain from its previous location to its new one in Pueblo, being transported by truck. Sorry if my video wasn't live like the other guy's video...mine was intended mostly as a documentary-style introduction to what the ROHR Aerotrain is. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
Thumbs up, great video, seeing that train reminds me of the Hot Wheels high speed train that Mattel created for kids as an addition to hot wheels cars,Enginerring pushed to the max
Thank you, Jeff! I very much appreciate your positive comment! I also remember those Mattel toys - I think it came with a full set of those orange plastic tracks. Thanks again!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I appreciate it so much!!! I've got another video coming very soon. Hope you will get to watch it!! Thanks again for your generosity!!!!!!
What is it with aircraft companies building high speed trains or trains in general? United Aircraft Corp had the Turbo Train in the 60s, Rohr with the Turboliner and the Aerotrain, even Bombardier built planes and trains at one point in time. 🙃🫠
I think it's because of the government money. Rohr was looking for new business after Vietnam war military aircraft contracts were coming to an end. All of that rail work was government-funded. Railroads were heavy industry, and Rohr believed they could fill the void after many old-line car builders closed down. They did, for a while, but eventually gave it up as well. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein I was being a bit humorous as airplanes especially jetliners killed off alot of long distance rail passenger business that roadways didn't effect. Ironically several railroads were involved in airline businesses over the years. The most famous being Canadian Pacific Railway which had a major international airline. CP sold its airline to Pacific Western Airlines in 1987. PWA merged CP Air into a new company Canadian Airlines International. CAI was take over by Air Canada in 2001. Air Canada and it's predecessor Trans Canada Airlines were controlled by Canadian National Railways until 1978 when it became a stand alone company which was privatized in 1989.
Bombardier _still do,_ at least at Derby and a few other sites in the UK...Except that in 2022 they were bought-out by Alstom, so now all of the Bombardier hardware is reassuringly: French. 🚄🇫🇷❤🔥👍 Mind you: Living very close to Britains busiest business airport (FAB) I just wish Alstom would hurry the F up and upgrade all of those bloody noisy Bombardier Learjets with their cleaner, quieter and *much* more pleasant sounding _Onix_ traction system... ✈🛠🔊👍
Well, there was the United Aircraft Turbotrain, the Turboliner, the Metroliner...maybe others. Although I don't know of any Japanese high speed trains in the USA. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein Yes, TurboTrain and Metroliner were US trains that began service in 1968...four years *before* Aerotrain. And Turboliner was the 1972 export model of a French trainset. This date mixup doesn't take away from your presentation, though. You raise several useful questions about the military-industrial complex and US railway culture. I hope you consider exploring those issues!
@@JeffreyOrnsteinI mentioned France and Japan because I thought CAHSR was considering Alstom or JR for trainsets. I was half right: the two shortlisted bidders are Alstom and Siemens. Siemens has a factory in Florin, CA that builds all the diesels for Amtrak and Brightline in Florida. Brightline West already picked the Siemens Velaro Novo, which is an EMU trainset most famous in Germany as the ICE train. If CAHSR picks the same train, then Siemens is already in the middle of all the action. The only US train builders left are dedicated to freight locos and wagons. Bombardier built subway trainsets in Montreal for MTA and other subways. They bought up US factories before heading to Europe. After that, Alstom kept some of them to build the Acela and Avelia for the Northeast Corridor. I'm baffled by Texas Central HSR's choice of N700S Shinkansens for their rolling stock. I know that everyone wants trainsets with a proven service record. I get New York and Cali and Florida wanting the best off the shelf. My impression of Dallas-Fort Worth has always been a centre of world-class infrastructure...they built warplanes! They were Mission Control! Rember Texas Instruments? And Houston remains one pole of the global axis of oil. How hard could it be for the second largest state in the union to put a reliable fast train together? Anyways, I hope the Texans get their train before CJR's maglev project goes bust!
@@ianweniger6620 Thanks for all of the information! To me it's odd that Kawasaki has not pursued the long-distance passenger train market. They have large contracts with NYC to build the R-211 subway cars, and are pretty much the only car builder that can meet the NY MTA's demanding specifications. Bombardier had much problems with the R-179, which I hear is still problematic. I also just uploaded a new video about the Chicago streetcar that gave birth to 20,000 other rail vehicles worldwide! Hope you get to check it out! Thanks!
As usual Jeffery, very interesting and informative. Back then, we all thought vehicles would have this shape by now. The TESLA pickup truck is the only one but it’s a silly novelty. It would have been neat to have this running between Milwaukee and Chicago. Nice idea but not practical.
@@JeffreyOrnstein I disagree that our oligarchs are senile. Anything but! They only put profits above anything. I love corporate profits and personally reap the rewards but the profit motive is why we can't have nice things here.
Ok, thanks for for clarifying. I have not studied french since the 10th grade, which was back in the early 1980s, so I guess I'm a bit rusty. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein I once heard a veteran announcer share this kernel of wisdom: if a tough pronunciation appears only once during a live report, just plow through it and carry on. 🤞
It's nice to see the Rohr and Grumman _Aérotrains_ have been kept in a *far* better condition than our own _Tracked Hovercraft_ RTV-31 (At 02:41) which now stands rotting away just south of Peterborough town centre! 🚝🇬🇧⛈😉 One discovery made by the British was that dual-sided linear motors would often prove so powerful they'd cause structural damage to the traction fin, so we used a single-sided linear motor with the reactive surface embedded in the track. A useful aspect to this was that a Tracked Hovercraft guideway could easily be converted to other purposes once no longer required for hovertrain use, unlike other designs where the fin would have to be pulled up. 👍 What I never understood myself was how it was that hovertrains were not energy efficient enough to be practical, given the air cushion eliminates friction and thus motive resistance. The tendency to use linear motors probably didn't help this, but if you look at conventional hovercraft design - Where the air cushion is filled using the same fans as for propulsion - Surely an _Aérotrain_ employing the same principle would work out no less efficient than any existing hovercraft? 😇
Hello! Wow, lots of great information here! If I could find more info on the Tracked Hovercraft, it may make a good subject for a video! Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein There is a video of a TH test floating around somewhere, and some videos on the linear motor technology (Another British invention, I'm led to believe) which was developed to make it, erm, *go.* 🚝🇬🇧😇 Like _Aérotrain_ though, it didn't go much beyond an experiment. It was intended to provide a means for high-speed transport around the UK and for export to other countries, but I get the impression it ran into the same hurdles Aérotrain did. 🛑🚝💸
![Bus or Spaceship? Australia's Futuristic 1940s Transit Coach! [Australian Bus History]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/06k6glP_n-o/mqdefault.jpg)
Concepts like this make me wonder if these aerospace companies weren't just trying to bilk the government out of grant money, considering that the Japanese and the French had already mostly figured out how to build a decent high speed system. There was no need to reinvent the wheel, or remove them altogether in this case.
Agreed - it's amazing to think that a transportation system that would require so much energy to operate would be thought of as practical by a federal governmental entity. I guess the government wanted to show it's doing something impressive, no matter how much it costs and how little practical use it has. Thank you for your comment and for watching!
I like the enthusiasm of your narration, the discovery aspect of your videos is exciting, you unearth gems
Wow, thank you very much for your positive feedback! I defintely appreciate it, and thank you for watching!
"Displayed in a positive light...." Instead of as the White Elephant that it was.
LOL, that's their words, not mine. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
1 small step for man
1 giant step toward Runabout Rio Grande
LOL! Thank you for watching and for your comment!!
The remaining French Aerotrauns (both of them) are being moved in France from one museum to a storage depot. @TheTimTraveller has made two UA-cam videos about that (he tries to do live videos, not just speak over photographs). He visited the museum and made UA-cam videos of that. Has anyone visited and videod the Aerotrain in Pueblo?
There is a video out there on the moving of the Aerotrain from its previous location to its new one in Pueblo, being transported by truck. Sorry if my video wasn't live like the other guy's video...mine was intended mostly as a documentary-style introduction to what the ROHR Aerotrain is. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein Where is the video of the Aerotrain moving in Pueblo? And maybe get together with Tim to do a collaborative video.
Thumbs up, great video, seeing that train reminds me of the Hot Wheels high speed train that Mattel created for kids as an addition to hot wheels cars,Enginerring pushed to the max
Thank you, Jeff! I very much appreciate your positive comment! I also remember those Mattel toys - I think it came with a full set of those orange plastic tracks. Thanks again!!!
Hadn't heard from you're channel for a while...hoping you didn't get "BUS"ted...$5 comin you're way...
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I appreciate it so much!!! I've got another video coming very soon. Hope you will get to watch it!! Thanks again for your generosity!!!!!!
Loved only by mice. How sad.
LOL! Thank you for watching and for your comment!
maglev is more efficient but all systems would be far more efficient now than they were back then
Yes, I'm sure if a new Aerotrain was built today, it would fare much better! Thank you for watching!!
What is it with aircraft companies building high speed trains or trains in general? United Aircraft Corp had the Turbo Train in the 60s, Rohr with the Turboliner and the Aerotrain, even Bombardier built planes and trains at one point in time. 🙃🫠
I think it's because of the government money. Rohr was looking for new business after Vietnam war military aircraft contracts were coming to an end. All of that rail work was government-funded. Railroads were heavy industry, and Rohr believed they could fill the void after many old-line car builders closed down. They did, for a while, but eventually gave it up as well. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein I was being a bit humorous as airplanes especially jetliners killed off alot of long distance rail passenger business that roadways didn't effect. Ironically several railroads were involved in airline businesses over the years. The most famous being Canadian Pacific Railway which had a major international airline. CP sold its airline to Pacific Western Airlines in 1987. PWA merged CP Air into a new company Canadian Airlines International. CAI was take over by Air Canada in 2001. Air Canada and it's predecessor Trans Canada Airlines were controlled by Canadian National Railways until 1978 when it became a stand alone company which was privatized in 1989.
Bombardier _still do,_ at least at Derby and a few other sites in the UK...Except that in 2022 they were bought-out by Alstom, so now all of the Bombardier hardware is reassuringly: French. 🚄🇫🇷❤🔥👍
Mind you: Living very close to Britains busiest business airport (FAB) I just wish Alstom would hurry the F up and upgrade all of those bloody noisy Bombardier Learjets with their cleaner, quieter and *much* more pleasant sounding _Onix_ traction system... ✈🛠🔊👍
This channel is truly amazing. Thank you, Jeffrey
Thank you!!! I'm really glad you enjoyed the video! Thank you for watching and for your comment!
If Rohr was the grampa of US HSR, then who is the mother? The only fast trains in America come from France and Japan...
Well, there was the United Aircraft Turbotrain, the Turboliner, the Metroliner...maybe others. Although I don't know of any Japanese high speed trains in the USA. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein Yes, TurboTrain and Metroliner were US trains that began service in 1968...four years *before* Aerotrain. And Turboliner was the 1972 export model of a French trainset. This date mixup doesn't take away from your presentation, though. You raise several useful questions about the military-industrial complex and US railway culture. I hope you consider exploring those issues!
@@ianweniger6620 Thank you...will look into it for a future video!
@@JeffreyOrnsteinI mentioned France and Japan because I thought CAHSR was considering Alstom or JR for trainsets. I was half right: the two shortlisted bidders are Alstom and Siemens.
Siemens has a factory in Florin, CA that builds all the diesels for Amtrak and Brightline in Florida. Brightline West already picked the Siemens Velaro Novo, which is an EMU trainset most famous in Germany as the ICE train. If CAHSR picks the same train, then Siemens is already in the middle of all the action.
The only US train builders left are dedicated to freight locos and wagons. Bombardier built subway trainsets in Montreal for MTA and other subways. They bought up US factories before heading to Europe. After that, Alstom kept some of them to build the Acela and Avelia for the Northeast Corridor.
I'm baffled by Texas Central HSR's choice of N700S Shinkansens for their rolling stock. I know that everyone wants trainsets with a proven service record. I get New York and Cali and Florida wanting the best off the shelf. My impression of Dallas-Fort Worth has always been a centre of world-class infrastructure...they built warplanes! They were Mission Control! Rember Texas Instruments?
And Houston remains one pole of the global axis of oil. How hard could it be for the second largest state in the union to put a reliable fast train together?
Anyways, I hope the Texans get their train before CJR's maglev project goes bust!
@@ianweniger6620 Thanks for all of the information! To me it's odd that Kawasaki has not pursued the long-distance passenger train market. They have large contracts with NYC to build the R-211 subway cars, and are pretty much the only car builder that can meet the NY MTA's demanding specifications.
Bombardier had much problems with the R-179, which I hear is still problematic.
I also just uploaded a new video about the Chicago streetcar that gave birth to 20,000 other rail vehicles worldwide! Hope you get to check it out! Thanks!
Another excellent video!👍
Thank you very much, I am very glad you like it! And thank you for watching!!
As usual Jeffery, very interesting and informative. Back then, we all thought vehicles would have this shape by now. The TESLA pickup truck is the only one but it’s a silly novelty. It would have been neat to have this running between Milwaukee and Chicago. Nice idea but not practical.
Thank you! I very much appreciate your positive comment! Yes, it's unfortunate the Aerotrain never became a reality. Thank you for watching!
Thank you, Jeffrey, I've just found you and subscribed - this is right up my street!
Glad you liked the video!!! Thanks for subscribing! Thank you for watching and for your comment!
The French did everything to make the TGV le fastest Train in the World😂
Oh, yes they sure did...but I don't think it's the fastest anymore. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
I'm aware that this existed. We are also aware that we can't have nice things in the United States. The Oligarchs forbid that.
LOL! And our oligarchs are senile, so we shall never see such things again. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein I disagree that our oligarchs are senile. Anything but! They only put profits above anything. I love corporate profits and personally reap the rewards but the profit motive is why we can't have nice things here.
FYI pronunciation...Jean Bertain = ZHAW(ng) buhr-TAY(ng)
Ok, thanks for for clarifying. I have not studied french since the 10th grade, which was back in the early 1980s, so I guess I'm a bit rusty. Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein I once heard a veteran announcer share this kernel of wisdom: if a tough pronunciation appears only once during a live report, just plow through it and carry on. 🤞
@@ianweniger6620 Ok, will remember that!!! Thanks!
Thanks!
Thank you so much!!! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!!! It really motivates me to do better every on every video!!!
@@JeffreyOrnstein 10/4
It's nice to see the Rohr and Grumman _Aérotrains_ have been kept in a *far* better condition than our own _Tracked Hovercraft_ RTV-31 (At 02:41) which now stands rotting away just south of Peterborough town centre! 🚝🇬🇧⛈😉
One discovery made by the British was that dual-sided linear motors would often prove so powerful they'd cause structural damage to the traction fin, so we used a single-sided linear motor with the reactive surface embedded in the track. A useful aspect to this was that a Tracked Hovercraft guideway could easily be converted to other purposes once no longer required for hovertrain use, unlike other designs where the fin would have to be pulled up. 👍
What I never understood myself was how it was that hovertrains were not energy efficient enough to be practical, given the air cushion eliminates friction and thus motive resistance. The tendency to use linear motors probably didn't help this, but if you look at conventional hovercraft design - Where the air cushion is filled using the same fans as for propulsion - Surely an _Aérotrain_ employing the same principle would work out no less efficient than any existing hovercraft? 😇
Hello! Wow, lots of great information here! If I could find more info on the Tracked Hovercraft, it may make a good subject for a video! Thank you for watching and for your comment!
@@JeffreyOrnstein There is a video of a TH test floating around somewhere, and some videos on the linear motor technology (Another British invention, I'm led to believe) which was developed to make it, erm, *go.* 🚝🇬🇧😇
Like _Aérotrain_ though, it didn't go much beyond an experiment. It was intended to provide a means for high-speed transport around the UK and for export to other countries, but I get the impression it ran into the same hurdles Aérotrain did. 🛑🚝💸