The Train That Never Stops: Fiction or Future?

Non-stop train. Today, it may seem like fiction, but there are already plans for its implementation. William Aitken and Chen Jianjun have proposed the idea of a train that never stops.

Around the world, there are many fascinating, even bizarre, modes of transportation. For instance, traveling via levitating trains is already possible. If you're looking for both transport and adventure in Cambodia, you can ride the local Bamboo Express—a train made up of just four iron wheels, a bamboo platform, and a motor, sometimes taken from a circular saw. Despite their uniqueness, all these unusual trains share one thing in common: they always stop at stations.

Yet, even though a train that never stops might sound like science fiction, several plans and prototypes for its realization already exist.

The Non-Stop Train According to Chen Jianjun

It comes as no surprise that a revolutionary concept like this was born in China. Asia, particularly China, is a powerhouse in railway innovation, constantly introducing new transportation technologies. If a non-stop train were ever to become a reality, China would undoubtedly be one of the first to implement it. According to DailyMail, this groundbreaking idea comes from Chinese designer Chen Jianjun, whose futuristic vision has been captured in a simple video demonstration.

The principle behind the train is relatively straightforward. Instead of waiting for the train on a platform as we do today, passengers would climb a staircase to a boarding module positioned at the train’s roof level. Once inside, they wait for the train to arrive. As the train approaches the station, the tracks lower, allowing the train to pass smoothly underneath the module. The module then slides along the train’s roof towards its rear, where newly boarded passengers transfer into a standard train carriage. Simultaneously, passengers who wish to exit at the next stop board an empty module at the back of the train.

According to the designer, this non-stop train would operate on the Beijing-Guangzhou railway line, which has up to 30 stations along its route. If we calculate using Chen Jianjun’s estimation that a train stops for five minutes at each station, the total journey time is extended by two and a half hours due to stops alone. By eliminating the need to stop, this system would significantly reduce travel time. Another advantage is environmental efficiency—since the train no longer needs to constantly stop and restart, it saves both fuel and energy.

The Non-Stop Train According to William Aitken

A similar concept was proposed over a century ago by William Aitken from Windermere Road, Muswell Hill. His vision involved a continuously moving train that never stops in the traditional sense. Instead, it uses a modular system, where carriages are added and removed dynamically, allowing passengers to board and disembark without slowing the train, as reported by londonist.com.

Each station is equipped with a feeder track, where a stationary carriage waits for passengers boarding at that stop. This carriage is labeled with its final destination, meaning each passenger boards the exact carriage that will take them directly to where they need to go. As the train passes the station, the new carriage attaches to the front of the train, while the rear carriage detaches and stops on the feeder track, allowing passengers to disembark.

CR450, China's newest high-speed train. 400-450 km/h.😃 pic.twitter.com/A2ikY2yHin

— Sharing Travel (@TripInChina) December 31, 2024

This process is repeated at every station—while the train itself never stops, its composition continuously changes. If a passenger needs to exit at a specific stop, they must move to the designated disembarkation carriage before arriving. Once the train reaches the intended stop, this carriage detaches and moves to the feeder track, where passengers exit. The empty carriage then moves to the boarding area, ready for the next group of passengers.

This system would allow for seamless and uninterrupted travel, drastically improving efficiency. However, implementing such a model would require massive infrastructure changes and a shift in passenger behavior, as travelers would need to navigate between carriages while in motion. Nonetheless, if the technical challenges could be overcome, the non-stop train could become one of the most innovative developments in railway transportation.

Source: DailyMail; londonist.com