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A century ago, suspended monorails were serious mass-transit contenders
- Suspended monorails, or aero-railways, were once considered serious mass-transit options a century ago in cities around the world.
- Despite their appeal, suspended monorails faced technical complexities and were eventually overshadowed by more practical terrestrial and subterranean transit alternatives.
- Only one suspended monorail system, the Wuppertal Schwebebahn in Germany, has survived since the early 20th century with some notable incidents like an elephant jumping from it in 1950.
- As cities grow denser, aero railways with their smaller footprint, lower cost, and quieter operation may be reconsidered for mass transit solutions.
- Historical concepts like Francis Laur's proposed propeller-driven airship suspended monorail and George Bennie's railplane never materialized beyond imagination.
- Japan holds the record for the longest suspended railway with the Chiba Urban Monorail, while Hamburg, Germany's Cabintaxi featured a unique personalized urban conveyor design.
- 21st-century urbanization trends may create opportunities for suspended railway systems to be revisited for mass transit upgrades and expansions.
- Currently, suspended commuter systems like the Roosevelt Island Tramway in New York and the Portland Aerial Tram operate in the US, with proposals for new systems in cities like Chicago, Austin, and Los Angeles.
- The Gondola Project tracks global aerial transit system projects, showcasing a trend towards leveraging aerial transit in dense cities to address transportation challenges.
- While riding propeller-driven suspended monorails may be a thing of the past, the future may see more commuters using aerial transit systems to navigate busy cities efficiently and sustainably.
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