| What Other School Can Boast A... [message #1098829] |
Mon, 24 July 2006 02:57 |
|
....monorail?
http://admissions.wvu.edu/undergraduate/discover/prt.asp
a.
|
|
|
| Re: What Other School Can Boast A... [message #1098836 ] |
Mon, 24 July 2006 02:57 |
|
the_andrew_smith [at] yahoo.com wrote:
> ...monorail?
>
> http://admissions.wvu.edu/undergraduate/discover/prt.asp
The Nittany Tide of Springfield U.
-Tom Enright
> a.
|
|
|
| Re: What Other School Can Boast A... [message #1098837 ] |
Mon, 24 July 2006 02:57 |
|
Quiet, the_andrew_smith [at] yahoo.com -- I'm transmitting rage.
> ...monorail?
>
> http://admissions.wvu.edu/undergraduate/discover/prt.asp
>
> a.
>
>
It's NOT a monorail. It's a four-wheeled, solid rubber-tire transportation
system on an elevated track using a third-rail power supply and computer
control. Each car holds about 24 people; cramming the thing full until the
computer told you to get a few people out was the WVU equivalent to packing
a phone booth or Volkswagon Beetle in the late '70s -- might still be going
on, freshmen being freshmen.
Nixon funded it and Tricia rode on the first car in 1972. It didn't really
come into full use until 1976, when it was a valid reason for missing
finals. By 1978 it was more reliable than your best wingman at closing
time.
It is still a very cool means of transportation; I always called it "the
sideways elevator", because when it wasn't in "normal" mode (so many cars
to this station for so many to that one, depending on a set pattern), it
responded to each individual request: you'd enter the station and there'd
be cars sitting there, waiting. You'd push the button for your
destination, there'd be a few seconds' delay, then a car would light up,
roll over to the gate, and the sign would light up with "Evansdale" or
"Engineering" or whatever you'd picked.
Very neat.
Just not a "monorail".
--
------------------------------------------------------------ ------------
James Schrumpf http://www.hilltopper.net
Play like your couch is on fire!
|
|
|
