Large Systems
Although the smaller vehicle systems were not successful in the marketplace, larger AGT were simpler to understand and integrate into existing mass transit systems. AGT's that looked and operated in a fashion similar to a small subway have since become a common fixture of many existing metro systems, often as a way to serve outlining areas. In this role, AGT systems are sometimes known as group rapid transit (GRT), although this term implies additional features similar to PRT systems.
Many higher capacity AGT systems used in first mass transit can be also be classified as a Light Metros. Kobe's Port Liner is the world's first mass transit AGT, which began operating in 1981. It connects Kobe's main rail station, Sannomiya Station, with the dockyard areas and Kobe Airport to the south. Many similar systems have been built elsewhere in Japan. The VAL (Véhicule Automatique Léger) system in Lille, France, opened in 1983, is often cited as the first AGT installed to serve an existing urban area. The Scarborough RT, Detroit People Mover and Vancouver SkyTrain followed in the next few years, and then the Docklands Light Railway in London. VAL and ART systems have seen continued installations around the world, and have been joined by a variety of new systems with similar features, like the AnsaldoBreda Driverless Metro.
Read more about this topic: Automated Guideway Transit
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