Overview of the new SkyWay development: innovation, certification, projects

On the main components and units of the undercarriage of heavy-duty SkyWay rolling stock

The world is presently overwhelmed with the coronavirus pandemic. For many companies it is a serious problem. However, SkyWay Group of Companies continues to work in the United Arab Emirates, in Sharjah. We are building there an Innovation Center of the new mode of transport ― SkyWay. This involves professionals from more than 20 countries.

The things we are doing now at the Innovation Center in Sharjah shows a construction part mostly. You can see that we are installing supports, filling foundations with concrete, building stations, terminals, turnout switches, pre-stressed string track structure (400 meters already). The first test tracks have been already completed. But this is a construction part. It is also very important for certification, because if we don’t do it in the design that will be used for series production, we will certainly not be able to certify it. But there is also another part of work that is not visible in Sharjah. It is the machine-building part that is performed here in Belarus, in the city of Minsk, at our production facility. Right now assembly of one of the vehicles for the Innovation Center in Sharjah is going on. Video (in Russian):

In the video we present undercarriage of our rolling stock that is used as a base in suspended 25-passenger unibuses and cargo transport including those for transportation of sea containers weighing up to 35 tons. This is an absolutely innovative vehicle. We can even see it by its elements and units.

So-called motor-wheels in this case have the power of 60-kW for each of them. They are set beyond the wheel limits so as not to pass over impacts and vibrations to the motor. That’s why it is connected with a semi-axle. We have 4 of them on the undercarriage. Therefore, the total power of more than 200 kW is sufficient to move this vehicle weighing up to 10 tons at 150-km/h speed.

A frame, on which all the equipment is installed is cushioned relatively to the cabin with passengers or a frame for cargo transportation. The undercarriage is also cushioned and it has a pneumatic suspension, which is adjustable, i.e. we will enter a station at the floor level. It means that the floor of the vehicle will be always at the same level with the station floor regardless of the number of passengers boarding, because the suspension is adjustable and the vehicle may shift lower or higher. In addition, it will also adjust to track unevenness so as to keep a high smoothness of riding.

A cooling system should operate in tropics, where the temperature may reach 50 degrees, and under the hood ― even 60 degrees. Therefore, a powerful cooling system should be available here.

We have power supply from the grid, through the wheels and rails. The rails are insulated from each other and from the supports. They are plus and minus with direct current at about 750 Volts. But we have a battery, too. In case of a failure in the power supply system and loss of power, it will provide a ride for about 100 km to a station or a depot. It will continue to operate for some time if the power supply fails.