Data entry-March 31, 2052: a retrospective of solid-state transportation systems

The author discusses SkyTran, the personalized solid-state transportation (SST) system for the public. The author imagines that it is the year 2052 and he is looking back on the 50+ years which have seen a revolution in personal transportation. SkyTran is based on a MagLev monorail system with individual lightweight carriages travelling nonstop at 100 m.p.h. to the traveller's required destination. In this context the author considers; low-cost stations for efficient passenger handling; enhanced safety; cashless transactions; congested downtown station placement; vehicle mass production costs; failsafe operations; and SkyTran on the Moon's surface.