It is being developed and marketed by Surface Transportation Systems, Sikorsky Aircraft Division. A domed, passenger-carrying power car is at each end, one pulling and the other pushing one or more passenger coaches in between. The trains, being double-ended, need no switching or turnarounds, permitting a higher rate of equipment utilization. The lower center of gravity, pendulous suspension system, and guided axles enable this new train to round curves, with no change in present road beds, at speeds up to 40 percent greater than possible with conventional trains. As in an airplane, TurboTrain cars bank inward around curves under the influence of centrifugal force, as opposed to the outward motion experienced in con-ventional trains.
Passengers remain upright in their seats even when rounding curves at advanced speeds.
The result is a smoother, swifter, more efficient ride around curves, with greater passenger comfort. The capacity of the cars depends on the seating arrangements and furnish-ings specified by the operating railroad. A typical power dome car, with parlor and coach compartments, has room for about 50 persons. Non-powered coaches seat about the same number. The TurboTrain is a modern, streamlined, high-speed intercity passenger train designed by aerospace engineers and based on the principles of flight.