Patent ID: 6742458
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: B60P,B61B

Abstract:
A transportation guideway, comprising:a pair of parallel longitudinally extending rails, each of the rails being laterally spaced apart from the other for receiving wheels of a vehicle in rolling contact; a plurality of transverse cross members extending between and supporting the rails; a plurality of posts adapted to be mounted in ground and connected to and supporting the cross members with the rails being elevated above the ground; the rails and the cross members having open spaces between them that extend longitudinally from one of the cross members to another of the cross members for a distance greater than a width between the rails so as to provide sunlight through the open spaces to the ground below the rails; each of the rails being at least partially enclosed for reducing entry of moisture into an interior portion of the rails due to weather; wherein the rails comprise rail sections joined together at ends of the rail sections, each of the ends of the rail sections being formed at a diagonal relative to a longitudinal axis of the rail sections, defining diagonal end surfaces that abut each other to form a rail joint, wherein a movable one of the ends of one of the rail sections at each rail joint is capable of movement relative to the other of the ends to accommodate thermal expansion; and wherein the guideway further comprises: a spring in engagement with one side of the movable one of the ends for urging the diagonal end surfaces together.