Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parkside Plum Juice
Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Muxima
The temple and the tree at the square.
The Historical Center of Pune
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California Ukiah Vectorr Train Prototype

Vectorr Train Prototype

A working model of a pressure-driven, high-speed rail whizzes around a private vineyard.

Ukiah, California

Added By
Lew Blank
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
VECTORR in the Mendocino vineyard   Flight Rail/CC BY 2.0
VECTORR traveling on the model rail   Flight Rail/CC BY 2.0
VECTORR in the Mendocino vineyard   Flight Rail/CC BY 2.0
VECTORR climbing a 10% incline   Flight Rail/CC BY 2.0
VECTORR prototype whizzing by   Flight Rail/CC BY 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On a private vineyard in California's postcard-perfect Mendocino County, a sleek train zips atop a model “atmospheric railway,” guided by a unique propulsion system based on magnets, pistons, and pressure. Known as the Vectorr Prototype, this one-sixth scale model is the latest innovation in a revolutionary, 150-year-long effort to build a train propelled entirely by the power of pressure differential.

The scale Vectorr model rides atop a 2,095-foot track, and its creator, Flight Rail, believes that it's the cheapest, lightest, and most environmentally sustainable option for the future of California's inter-city travel. According to the specs, the final product will travel at 200 mph—not quite at the level of the Hyperloop's projected 760 mph speeds, but nothing to sneeze at.

The idea for a pressure-driven train in the United States originated in New York City in the 1870s with the Beach Pneumatic Subway, an early underground train driven by pressure differential. Over a century later, the unique idea has resurfaced with Vectorr, which uses power systems located as much as 50 miles apart to generate energy. Pistons coupled magnetically to the train use this energy to create a pressure differential of up to 25psi at different parts of the air tube located in Vectorr's thin track, propelling the train forward.

This concept allows for a wide variety of ecological and economic benefits. As the train requires no fuel, the system is lightweight, allowing for quicker, sharper turns. As no traction—only magnetic force—is required, the train moves speedily, and with the model’s elevated guideway design, wildlife corridors can be built beneath the track.

While those looking for beacons of innovation flock to California’s Silicon Valley, anyone with an interest in trains might be best surprised to hear they're best off visiting the vineyards of northern California.

Related Tags

Wine Trains Pneumatic Tubes Inventors Railroads Engineering Technology Science Transportation

Community Contributors

Added By

lewblank

Edited By

Meg

  • Meg

Published

May 8, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.flightrail.com/our-technology.html
  • http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/article/NP/20150911/NEWS/150919955
  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUwkNOluI-1p-JI3W7ntYEQ
Vectorr Train Prototype
250 Henry Station Road
Ukiah, California
United States
39.039572, -123.142311
Get Directions

Nearby Places

City of 10,000 Buddhas

Ukiah, California

miles away

Ukiah Latitude Observatory

Ukiah, California

miles away

Vichy Springs

Ukiah, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ukiah

Ukiah

California

Places 4

Nearby Places

City of 10,000 Buddhas

Ukiah, California

miles away

Ukiah Latitude Observatory

Ukiah, California

miles away

Vichy Springs

Ukiah, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ukiah

Ukiah

California

Places 4

Related Places

  • Trains at the Illinois Railway Museum

    Union, Illinois

    Illinois Railway Museum

    At the largest railway museum in the United States, you can see everything from an early steam engine to a functioning Thomas the Tank Engine.

  • Preserved section of old viaduct.

    Llanelli, Wales

    Loughor Viaduct

    A section of a historic wooden trestle viaduct is preserved next to the railway line it once carried.

  • Tunnel 33, now collapsed.

    Winter Park, Colorado

    Rifle Sight Notch

    This old train trestle and collapsed tunnel once allowed the railroad to negotiate the steep slopes of the Colorado Rockies.

  • Tunnel entrance seen from the ground.

    Bramhope, England

    Bramhope Tunnel North Portal

    This Gothic castle-like portal is a testament to the amazing craftsmanship of the navvies who built the railway tunnel.

  • Çamlik Railway Museum.

    Selçuk, Turkey

    Çamlik Railway Museum

    This beautiful train graveyard is one of the largest collections of steam locomotives in the Mediterranean and Europe.

  • ‘The Queen’ replica on display.

    Windsor, England

    'The Queen' Locomotive

    A replica of the steam engine that hauled Queen Victoria's Royal Train is on display at Windsor.

  • The Rocket as preserved in the Science Museum, London

    Shildon, England

    The ‘Rocket' Locomotive

    This innovative steam machine was no doubt the most famous of the pioneer locomotives.

  • Stoosbahn.

    Schwyz, Switzerland

    Stoosbahn Funicular

    The steepest classic funicular in the world glides along a dizzying incline.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.