Tampilkan postingan dengan label concept. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label concept. Tampilkan semua postingan

the Pullman Railplane of 1933, self propelled, designed by Stout (of the Stout Scarab)

Feeling the effects of the Depression and declining business, America's railroads (in the 1930s) were looking for ways to reinvigorate passenger travel. As Ralph Budd, president of the Chicago Burlington & Quincy, later explained, railroads had to continue running trains on short routes to handle mail and baggage "whether or not anyone rides the trains." After seeing GM's powerful diesel engines, Budd concluded that what the railroads needed was a new kind of train that was fast, convenient, ultramodern and luxurious enough to fire the public imagination. The Union Pacific Railroad also saw the two exhibits and came to similar conclusions. A race was on to see which of the two railroads would be the first to develop an ultramodern railcar
 1934 Century of Progress Fair in Chicago The Union Pacific selected the University of Michigan to find the best aerodynamic shape while CB&Q turned to M.I.T.. The new designs looked like nothing else that had ridden the rails. They looked more like Buck Rogers's space ship than a train. People were tired of living in the Depression and they were ready for a change. 
 the Pullman-Standard wondertrain powered by 600 HP Winton petrol engine
 Union Pacific М-10000 City of Salina weighed 20 per cent as much as a conventional railroad car, but using only two minuscule (by railroad standards) 320-hp six-cylinder truck engines, was able to hit 100 miles per hour, while delivering 5 miles per gallon. By comparison to conventional railcars, the ride was superb, engine noise and fumes were all but eliminated and the seating arrangement - using aircraft-type seats as fitted to the Scarab automobile - made the Railplane quite luxurious


It is Pullman-Standard Railplane

In 1933, the Pullman Car & Manufacturing Company constructed the Railplane to Stout's design (some improvements were later patented by the company, see the positives below). This was merely Stout's familiar triangulated space-frame aircraft fuselage, this time adapted to railroad use. Here too, he was able to preserve his all-time important triumvirate: simplicity, practicality and comfort. The self-propelled car had an aluminum body, 60' in length. It was exhibited at the Chicago World's fair 1934 and then leased to the Gulf, Mobile & Northern in 1935 for service between Tylertown and Jackson, Mississippi. From the railroad point of view, all running gear could be easily serviced from outside, tracks and roadbed lasted longer and operating costs were significantly less. Despite proven advantages, there were no buyers. Union Pacific ordered a three-car version (future City of Salina) , but that's as far as it went.

from http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/sunday-streamline-12-pullman  and  http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/flying-americans

choices in selecting motorcycles

choices in selecting motorcycles
With so abounding choices in motorcycles, selecting your aboriginal motorcycle can be challenging. Here are several tips to advice you baddest the appropriate motorcycle for you.
What blazon motorcycle should you purchase?
There are at atomic eight altered motorcycle types (styles) of motorcycles: touring, sport-touring, standard, sport-bike, scooter, dual-sport, dirt-bike, and cruiser.
Many fresh riders activate their chase by attractive at Harley Davidson motorcycles. Don't accomplish this mistake. While cruisers are acutely accepted they don't necessarily accomplish the best abecedarian motorcycle. They're heavy, loud, expensive, and cruel (loaded with chrome) of accessory spills.
Touring motorcycles are about congenital for continued ambit riding. Examples accommodate the accepted Honda Gold Wing and the BMW K1200. These motorbikes are heavy, powerful, expensive, and crave cogent abilities to accomplish properly... authoritative them a poor best for fresh riders.
honda motor logoschoices in selecting motorcyclesWhile abounding models accept headlights and about-face signals, best won't calmly board artery travels. If you accept acceptable admission to clay anchorage or added off-road areas, a dirt-bike is a acceptable abecedarian motorcycle.

Don't accept accessible admission to off-road areas? Consider a dual-sport motorcycle. These bikes are fabricated to board abstinent off-road conditions, and handle artery speeds. A accommodation of sorts, they don't accomplish on-road as able-bodied as artery bikes, nor off-road as able-bodied as dirt-bikes.

But, best dual-sport models can calmly biking at artery speeds and handle abstinent off-road conditions. When you booty that motorcycle bout (you've been absent about) to the Northern tip of Alaska, you'll best acceptable be benumbed a dual-sport motorcycle, like the accepted Kawasaki KLR650.

A accepted motorcycle is an earlier appearance that already declared the majority of bikes available... appropriately the appellation 'standard'. Accepted motorcycles are about cocked and moderately priced. Picture that 1970s bike your dad owned. It was best acceptable a accepted motorcycle. While not the fanciest or flashiest bike, accepted bikes can be acceptable amateur motorcycles.

Scooters? Before you anatomy an assessment here, appointment your bounded motorcycle dealership. Gone are the 50cc mopeds of the 1970s. Instead, several fresh scooters adorned ample 650cc engines and automated transmissions. With a top dispatch of over 100 mph, and a 0 to 60 dispatch time beneath 5 seconds, scooters can accumulate up with best anything. Want to abash a Harley addition or Mustang owner... no problems? A Honda Silver Wing 650 scooter can do both.

Do scooters handle like motorcycles. Sure. Do they accomplish calmly on interstates? Yes. Do they accomplish acceptable abecedarian bikes? Why not?

A sport-touring motorcycle is the aftermost appearance of motorcycle addressed here. Sport-touring models are adventurous versions of touring bikes. Or conversely, airy versions of sport-bikes. This chic of motorcycle avalanche amid a touring bike and sport-bike.

choices in selecting motorcycles hondaWhile many models have headlights and turn signals, most won't easily accommodate interstate travels. If you have convenient access to dirt roads or other off-road areas, a dirt-bike is a good beginner motorcycle.
Don't have easy access to off-road areas? Consider a dual-sport motorcycle. These bikes are made to accommodate moderate off-road conditions, and handle highway speeds. A compromise of sorts, they don't perform on-road as well as street bikes, nor off-road as well as dirt-bikes.
But, most dual-sport models can easily travel at interstate speeds and handle moderate off-road conditions. When you take that motorcycle tour (you've been dreaming about) to the Northern tip of Alaska, you'll most likely be riding a dual-sport motorcycle, like the popular Kawasaki KLR650.
A standard motorcycle is an older style that once described the majority of bikes available... hence the term 'standard'. Standard motorcycles are generally upright and moderately priced. Picture that 1970s bike your dad owned. It was most likely a standard motorcycle. While not the fanciest or flashiest bike, standard bikes can be good starter motorcycles.
Scooters? Before you form an opinion here, visit your local motorcycle dealership. Gone are the 50cc mopeds of the 1970s. Instead, several new scooters fancy large 650cc engines and automatic transmissions. With a top speed of over 100 mph, and a 0 to 60 acceleration time below 5 seconds, scooters can keep up with most anything. Want to embarrass a Harley rider or Mustang owner... no problems? A Honda Silver Wing 650 scooter can do both.
Do scooters handle like motorcycles. Sure. Do they operate easily on interstates? Yes. Do they make good beginner bikes? Why not?
A sport-touring motorcycle is the last style of motorcycle addressed here. Sport-touring models are sporty versions of touring bikes. Or conversely, relaxed versions of sport-bikes. This class of motorcycle falls between a touring bike and sport-bike.
tag : Honda, Sport bike, motorsport, concept, Specification motorbike.

Audi's e-tron Concept Hopefully Not the Future of Website Navigation


I wonder if some sites ever went through usability testing. The Audi e-tron concept website definitely suffers from some significant design issues. First of all it contains no obvious cues about what one gets when clicking on the icon based navigation elements.

There are four key video content elements in the right-hand navigation featuring futurist diagrams and computer-generated imagery (CGI). Navigation includes design, technology, the intelligent automobile, and interior concept all visually demonstrating the e-tron’s features. The problem is each link is a tilted image not easily showing what the image is or what one sees when it is clicked on. In fact, the titled image navigation doesn't even seem like a navigation, you only know because your mouse changes its icon.

One demonstration is a nod to a future interior concept that seems very close to what might happen in the next few years. For example, a “Streets of Tomorrow” demonstration shows how the navigation of the future will tell us when we need milk as we are passing a grocery store. I think I heard this idea in 1998, but hey it still has never been done and people keep suggesting it. Telling me it is an idea no one wants, but keeps coming up in brainstorming or there is some technical barrier, I'm guessing the former. Another example is the car diagnostic system showing actual psi ratings of the tires is far more advanced than the Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) of today.

The footer of the site features a share on Facebook, a 360 view and a film of the product unveiling at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Another link shows the conversation that is ongoing across multiple social network properties featuring a count of YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and blogs covering the vehicle. The conversation section is very well executed and makes for an interesting way to showcase social dialog. This technique is becoming a standard approach as it was recently featured on the TDI site Audi recently launched.

When a social conversation is selected, Audi returns a very nice card that shows the social media content and allows the user to view it on its source site or one can Tweet the content if they so wish. The execution is very nice and one of the best implementations of social media content integration and sharing I have seen. Audi truly is on to showing all sites a very effective to show buzz and allow further sharing through a clean, well-designed interface.

It’s too bad that the Audi e-tron site suffers from some difficult navigation. Some proper usability testing would have corrected many of the apparent issues here. Of course, I haven’t put the site through testing, but having done testing on many sites in my decade plus experience, I’m sure the site would have some major hurdles for all but the technically adept or ultra-patient.

The big message here is the electric engine in an Audi R8 and whether Audi will really ever build an electric super car, especially after Audi President of North America Johan de Nysschen recently called anyone who buys a Chevy Volt a car for idiots.

Where the Audi campaign really shines isn’t this site. The really great work are the viral videos that were created to promote the electricityuntamed.com site. There is a YouTube Channel housing three videos produced to launch the e-tron concept. All three are performing very well for a concept launch. The videos are getting over around 200,000 views each, which may sound low, but relative to most automotive content of similar nature the numbers are pretty good.

It’s great having this amount of content for a concept vehicle. Few concept vehicles get this much attention and I'm sure the agency, Venables Bell & Partners, had a great time concepting the effort. We had a similar effort done for our Lincoln C Concept car at the 2009 International Auto Show and it was very well received. I think car companies can benefit by extending the concept experience to a digital space, especially when the vehicle showcases some compelling exterior and interior design elements and technology advancements. The only caution with all of this futuristic design is that website navigation is still constrained to the usability best practices of today and designers should consider the aggravation complex site navigation can cause the average visitor.

Be cool, just don't be difficult.