John DeLorean and the monorail that never was
Apparently John DeLorean was into more than just threatening the Big 3 with his DMC-12 stainless steel-bodied sports car. Winding Road uncovered a patent filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a unique monorail design that shows a pair of tracks suspended on either side of a divided highway. The elevated monorail would also allow an additional lane of traffic to flow beneath it. The DeLorean monorail, of course, was never built, and John DeLorean left this mortal plane in 2005. So unless someone else cares to pick up and carry the late, great almost-automaker's torch, it will remain filed away in the USPTO's archives where Winding Road found it.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kamil 8:19AM (7/24/2006)
Van Wyck Expressway in NYC - recently a 2-trail rail system was completed over the center divider of the highway connecting New York JFK airport to the Jamaica LIRR station and subway stations.
Similar concept, mass tranist over center of the highway.
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shawn 9:12AM (7/24/2006)
This monorail thing didn't work out too well in Springfield. Starting with a song & dance at the town meeting, and eventually leading to Homer Simpson saving the a train full of passengers...
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Dennis 10:32AM (7/24/2006)
Wonder what happens when those truckers need to make that left?
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Andy 11:20AM (7/24/2006)
"Wonder what happens when those truckers need to make that left?"
What left? The vast majority of highways in the U.S. have traffic entering and exiting from the right lane.
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Hank 11:38AM (7/24/2006)
Dennis,
How do you think they make lefts off of limited access roads like the Van Wyck now?
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Homer Simpson 12:16PM (7/24/2006)
Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What'd I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: That's right! Monorail!
[crowd chants `Monorail' softly and rhythmically]
Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...
Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.
Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?
Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?
Lyle Lanley: You'll be given cushy jobs.
Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?
Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I'm on the level.
Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.
Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it's Springfield's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: Once again...
All: Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
[big finish]
Monorail!
Homer: Mono... D'oh!
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CBL 3:30AM (7/25/2006)
we had a monorail system at our major airport(bradley international,in Windsor locks Connecticut,something simular to JZD's plan,it WAS DEAD in it's tracks,it was fully built,tested,and NEVER used,sat unused for something like ten years,then torn down and forgetten,this was back in the mid 1970's,maybe JZD's prototype?
CBL
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