1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144 
Basic component way to road/rail bodybuilding
Page 40
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A novel form of passenger vehicle body construction, using modules suitable for road bus/coach or railway carriage has been demonstrated by General Motors Corporation at Transpo '72 over the past week. The United States International Transportation Exposition at Dulles Airport, Washington, was chosen by GM for public announcement of this new bodybuilding system.
GM's truck and coach division has been experimenting with 5ft-long coach sections designed for mass production by welding into the required body length. The principal intention is that public transport authorities could, by specifying these modular designs, have road or rail passenger vehicles built to suit their own particular transport system. Also. simplified assembly would hasten transit vehicle deliveries.
Using a basic building-block module -constructed with a steel framework, scuff-resistant glassfibre exterior and Plexiglass windows — a family of transit vehicles and associated pedestrian structures could be built.
Not only are the sections interchangeable, but so are many of the smaller parts, thus giving economy in maintenance, repair and stocking of replacement components.
The modular concept is experimental at present, any production plans depending on reactions by urban planners, government transport officials, the public and development of a significant demand.