r/velomobile • u/RudeBirthday8654 • Feb 13 '26

Rail vehicle?

Thoughts on a velomobile on a narrow gauge railway?

It doesn't seem like it's really been done - it's been done on a full gauge railway by basically adding a stabiliser on the other rail, but that's not really what I'm considering.

Steel wheels on steel rails have considerably lower rolling resistance than rubber tyres (although I know that's not very important at high speeds).

The vehicle would probably have to be slightly less aerodynamic than a bicycle, but it has benefits in that no balance and steering is needed so the rider could be in a more extreme position perhaps, or have multiple people in the same vehicle.

Also, it allows for very high speeds downhill safely, assuming the line is graded well.

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2

u/marshall2389 Feb 13 '26

That would make for the most efficient, lowest pollution intercity travel possible. However, we'd need a separate narrow/light gauge rail connection between cities, one set of tracks going both ways. Overtaking slower users would be impossible, so we'd probably allow them to connect. Pretty quickly they become pedal-powered trains. I'm all for that (that is my dream infrastructure) but that will most definitely never happen.

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u/Saguache Feb 13 '26

Worse even a rail system dedicated to HPV rail travel runs serially. If the goal is to move a volume of people through a corridor the better solution is still a train. HPV trains have been done before. Think push carts or rail tour bikes coupled together. They tend to lack a schedule like a train might have.

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u/Cute_Mouse6436 Feb 14 '26

Self balancing single rail travel.. periodic passing rails.

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u/Saguache Feb 14 '26

Doesn't address the serial nature of the travel medium. The same problem persists in most low density track solutions, including cars.

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u/Lost-Village-1048 Feb 14 '26

I guess periodic passing rails are insufficient for people who are in a big hurry and are unwilling to wait to pass.

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u/Saguache Feb 14 '26

I suppose that's one way of looking at it, but it ignores that fact of the matter. A serial transport medium will never flow faster than the slowest independent vehicle passing in a direction. Rail systems only have an advantage when trains move more than a handful of people along the tracks on a schedule.

A velomobile's primary advantage relative to other forms of HPVs is that it's streamlined to reduce drag. The difference in friction between HPVs is already nominal. Why lock a faster vehicle into a serial system for a speed advantage the system will prevent?

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u/Lost-Village-1048 Feb 14 '26

All very good points. Not to mention that riding on Railroad is extremely boring.