CPC B61B 13/08 (2013.01) [B61B 1/005 (2013.01); B61B 15/00 (2013.01); B61D 1/00 (2013.01); B61D 3/18 (2013.01); B66B 9/003 (2013.01); B66B 9/16 (2013.01); G05D 1/0293 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A method for asset management of a fleet of cars, the method comprising:
moving the fleet of cars from a first location to a departure high-speed transportation station;
operating a modular loading and unloading system, the method of operating the modular loading and unloading system comprising:
receiving a plurality of cars of the fleet of cars in an airlock loading zone adjacent to at least one airlock connecting the airlock loading zone to a transportation tube of a high-speed transportation system, wherein the at least one airlock is operable to both receive a high-speed transportation vehicle that is incoming from the transportation tube and release the high-speed transportation vehicle into the transportation tube;
arranging a plural selection of the plurality of cars into a grouping for insertion into the high-speed transportation vehicle in the at least one airlock using an automated guided vehicle system operable to move the selection of the plurality of the cars along a floor of the airlock loading zone into the grouping; and
inserting the grouping into the high-speed transportation vehicle, while the high-speed transportation vehicle is at least partially in the at least one airlock,
wherein the at least one airlock includes a sealer structured and is arranged to interact with an outer shell of the high-speed transportation vehicle when inside the at least one airlock, such that the sealer and the high-speed transportation vehicle together provide a first air pressure barrier between a relatively lower pressure in the tube and a relatively higher pressure of the airlock loading zone;
moving the fleet of cars from the departure high-speed transportation station to an arrival high-speed transportation station via the high-speed transportation system;
unloading the fleet of cars from the high-speed transportation vehicle; and
moving the fleet of cars from the arrival high-speed transportation station to a second location.
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