First, see the linked picture, and then imagine it upside-down, with the vehicle floating ABOVE the electric-supply wire.

We need two such wires for this Idea (because ordinary electric surface trolleys can use the rail as one wire). The mobile attachment point, at the wires, should probably resemble the kind of wheel-attachments that roller coasters have, to stay on the tracks.

I've mentioned elsewhere (link) that a pretty effective hot-air TYPE of balloon could use steam as the working gas (water molecules are lighter than ordinary air molecules). With an electric power supply, it would be easy to constantly power a microwave source, to keep the water in the gas bag vaporized.

So, string a pair of wires from Point A to Point B; use the power to inflate a blimp, and for electric motors/propellers to move the blimp. Use the blimp to carry passengers and/or other stuff. The blimp's attachment to the wires (there can be a lot more than two!) is tough enough to resist modest winds.

Note that it is fairly easy to build different-height towers for the wire-supports, thus allowing the blimps to cross each other's pathways at different heights above the ground.
-- Vernon, May 21 2015

Trolley http://world.nycsub...org/perl/show?13412
As mentioned in the main text. [Vernon, May 21 2015]

Balloon Notions Balloon_20Notions
As mentioned in the main text. [Vernon, May 21 2015]

Inspiration for this Idea Tethered_20Aircraft_20PRT
Giving some credit where it is due. [Vernon, May 21 2015]

gondola lift? http://www.doppelma...2-Doppelmayr_01.jpg
[xandram, May 21 2015]

Upside-down zip wire ?
-- 8th of 7, May 21 2015


Why does it need to float above the wire? So the wire can be smaller in diameter?
-- RayfordSteele, May 21 2015


[RayfordSteele], the infrastructure would likely cost less if the wires were under the blimps. Note the Idea describes two "levels" for the blimps (call them the North/South level and the East/West level). We want both levels to be above ground-level traffic.

So, if the lower-level blimps are above ground-level, but below the wires, then the whole network of wires and support towers has to be higher, than if the blimp was above the wire.

On the other hand, if one level of blimp traffic was below the wire, and the other was above the wire, then that might save some infrastructure cost, as all the WIRES can be at very nearly the same level, and only one support-tower height is needed.
-- Vernon, May 22 2015



random, halfbakery