Transport
Discover facts about transport. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Transport
When Sydney ferries have to dodge migrating whales
Migrating whales surface unpredictably in the same harbor ferries use, so a captain who spots one slows down or changes course to avoid a collision. For a few…
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A small speedboat can put a huge cargo ship at risk
Attackers can approach much faster than a merchant vessel can turn away, then use ladders to reach the deck. A ship's enormous carrying capacity does not make…
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Early Beetles warned about fuel by starting to sputter
Without a fuel gauge, drivers could switch a tap to access the reserve within the same tank. A 1950s manual specifies roughly five liters held back for that…
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First aluminum frame backpack was crafted in the fifties
An aluminum frame transferred a backpack’s load onto the hips instead of letting it sag against the back. The frame also held the pack away from the wearer,…
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How chefs cook in a moving train
A train’s motion sends pans sliding, so kitchen gear is secured and cookware gets high sides or lids to keep food aboard. The chef has to account for every…
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Onewheels ride on a single giant pneumatic tire
The Onewheel’s single fat tire is both its contact with the ground and its suspension. Sensors read the rider’s lean and the motor keeps the board moving…
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France required cars to carry an identity
As early motor vehicles appeared on French roads, registration requirements gave authorities a way to connect a machine to its owner. Speed made a vehicle…
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Why the Tower of Terror drops faster than gravity
Cables pull the cabin downward faster than gravity alone would, rather than simply letting it free-fall.
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Why the time signal has six radio pips
The six radio pips mark the final seconds before the exact minute. Their timing comes from a precise clock, and the last pip’s start marks the new minute. It…
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Gladhands link truck air hoses together
A gladhand is a flat, hinged coupling at the end of a truck’s air hose. The driver presses two together and twists; their rubber seals lock in compressed air…
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An airline sick bag also took photo-processing orders
SFO Museum preserves a TWA airsickness bag printed with both a gin-rummy scorecard and a film-processing order form. The same disposable object could help…
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Amtrak police can work across state lines
Federal law gives qualifying Amtrak officers authority in states where the railroad operates, subject to the law’s conditions. That matters for a railway…
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Pedicab rides offer the absolute slowest urban transit
A pedicab’s engine is a person pedaling, so speed depends on leg power, traffic, and every hill in the route. It trades a motor’s hurry for an open-air…
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Domino's paid towns to fill potholes
Domino’s Paving for Pizza campaign gave grants to towns to fill potholes, then put the company’s logo on the repaired pavement.
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Why ancient Egyptian ships struggled to sail upwind
An Egyptian ship’s broad square sail worked best with wind behind it, not coming from ahead. Sailors heading upwind relied on oars or waited for favorable…
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A mountain train can climb by biting into a rail
On a rack railway, a toothed wheel under the train engages a matching rack between the running rails. That positive grip lets it tackle slopes where ordinary…
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The roller-skate brake that helps launch jumps
The toe stop grips the floor, giving a skater something solid to push against when springing into a jump. The part called a brake becomes a launch pad: roller…
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Flatbed trailers have no sides and rely entirely on straps
Straps clamp cargo to the trailer, increasing the grip between the load and the deck and holding it against shifts. A flatbed looks like it forgot to bring…
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In Venice, even deliveries have to travel by boat
With no streets between many Venetian addresses, cargo arrives by boat at the nearest canal-side landing. Workers then move it through narrow lanes and over…
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Swallowtail snowboards feature a V-shaped rear notch
The V-shaped notch lets the tail flex and sink in deep snow, lifting the board’s nose toward the surface. That keeps the front from diving under powder, so…
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A Boeing 747 has 150 miles of wiring
Every engine, light, sensor, and cockpit control needs a path through the plane, with extra routes for backup systems. Bundle all those connections through a…
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Wakeboards utilize tow ropes to stay completely above water
The rope pulls the rider forward, while the board’s wide, angled base pushes water downward and gains lift as it moves. That hydrodynamic lift holds the board…
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Van sliding doors utilize multiple guide tracks
Several tracks guide the door’s rollers as it swings outward, then slides along the van’s side. The door takes a little scenic route so it can open without…
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Battlefield balloons let observers see beyond the front line
During the American Civil War, tethered gas balloons lifted observers above the terrain to watch enemy movements and help direct artillery. Hydrogen or other…
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