US Patent 7162959 Transportation system

A transportation system is provided, in which a light-weight, small-sized vehicle can be used. This transportation system comprises a rail extending between stations, vehicle capable of running on the rail and carrying a drive unit, first zone for accelerating the vehicle from a stopped condition to a required speed by a propulsion force supplied from a propulsion supply unit provided from one of the stations toward the other station by a predetermined distance, and a second zone not having the propulsion supply unit, in which the vehicle accelerated in the first zone travels on the rail by the propulsion force supplied from the drive unit.