UNDERGROUND FREIGHT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS. IN: INNOVATIONS IN FREIGHT TRANSPORT

The objective of this paper is to present the state-of-the-art of underground freight transportation by capsule-pipelines and other tunnel systems and to discuss the feasibility of these systems. The paper begins with a short historic overview of underground freight transportation by capsule-pipelines and other tunnel systems. The two major groups of underground freight transport systems, capsule-pipeline systems and other underground freight transport systems are distinguished. A description of the development in other types of underground freight transport systems in Japan, Europe, and the USA is also presented. The driving forces and the feasibility of underground freight transport systems are discussed and some conclusions are presented.