World-Class Leadership

Is there any basis for claiming that Project 21 could soon dominate the world market for aerial transit? Yes, there is. Consider the history of the PCC Car.

That is the name of a standard streetcar design introduced here in the late 1930s, and soon reproduced in many foreign nations. To quote an excellent article in Wikipedia:

The design proved successful . . . and after World War II was licensed for use elsewhere in the world. The PCC car has proved to be a longlasting icon of streetcar design, and PCC cars are still in service in various places around the world . . . Thousands more PCC cars and direct descendants were produced in Europe through the 20th century.

Some 5,000 were built in the US and they were the streetcar in most American cities until the 1950s, when they were progressively displaced by buses – a push blamed on GM in court. Even today refurbished PCC cars are running in Boston, San Francisco, and Philadelphia; and "nostalgia" lines exist in several other cities.

How many foreign cars were made is unclear, but nearly 14,000 were built by a single licensee in Poland!

So what?

Our Monobeam was conceived over 30 years ago to be an off-the-street streetcar, recognizing that

• Similar, widespread service is dearly needed. Buses are slow and unpopular.
• The only realistic placement is elevated. Subway costs are prohibitive.
• This means aerial networks. That demands a breakthrough switch, which in turn requires familiar steel-on-steel technology.
• Infrastructure must be even more compact and unobtrusive than monorails.
• Prefabricated modules can assure low cost and quick installation.
• Small trains with a friendly operator can preserve popularity and safety.

Design under these principles continued until 1996, when it was all demonstrated. Hence the testimonials of four men who are (or were) at the pinnacle of their professions, and a great editorial in Architectural Record.

In 1935, the various streetcars around the globe were expensive, unreliable, and performed poorly. The PCC fixed all that and assumed leadership of the world. Now streetcars are rare, and unwelcome on the streets. So once again a "dramatic new perspective" is needed. Project 21, already researched, is ready to go. Will we just do it?