Flying Boats. Part-Two.

The days of the flying boats are not over yet?

This is perhaps one of the greatest feats in the aviation world to take-off and land from water. Many early aircraft in the 1920/30's were adapted to have floats, but it was the Shorts Sunderland that became the flagship carrier of the British BOAC. 

World-war-II (1939-45) saw a increased demand on all sides for dedicated flying boats, such as the U.S. Catalina, and British Walrus, while several Italian and German types were also deployed. The flying boats were of great use at Sea to attack submarines and proved to be an invaluable tool. 

After the war several nations went on to develop their own types of boats. The U.S. the UH-1 Albatross, Japan, the Kawasaki PS-1 and Russia their Beriev family BE-12/15, 606.

Today Canada builds the CL-215/415, while the Russians have developed the first jet powered flying boat, the Beriev A-40 and a civil version the BE-200. Many nations continue to use their world war-II boats and 1950's developments are still flying, such as the Mongoose.

Enviromentally friendly.

Can we create viable environmentally friendly transport?

Are the days of the steam train over, just because they were driven by coal. Is there a future for them and the turf burners?

Or is the future to be gas. Many countries are considering hydrogen powered vehicles, but what we already have could be developed to be more cleaner and efficient?

Icebreakers.

The Ice breaking ship was and is very much associated with Russia, but many other nations have them too. the U.S.A, Canada, Japan and the U.K. To be enabled to break ice and allow shipping to access ports in winter is quite a feat and an essential. 

Many of the largest ships built by the Russians were used for exploration and spying of one kind or another. To have access to both poles was a breakthrough in engineering. 

These type of ships will probably remain being built and improved in their capabilities for the years to come. Man has leaned much about the polar regions on the planet, but there is still so much more.

Town Planning. Part-Two.

In the planning of new towns or multiple population centres, most are laid out for the automobile and buses. The problems with cars is that you also need to plan for parking and you do not want the centres to be conjested.

Towns are usually built or expanded near to an existing freeway/motorway and or railroad/metro. But which of these is the best and what modern additions or re-introductions could be added? 

The tram, sometimes now known as a metro link is a viable asset combing the bus and the rail feature. Big cities go for underground/subway extension's or complete new lines.

Really what you need to do is move loads of people from A to B in a fast, clean, efficient and safe way.

Town Planning. Part-One.

If you had the chance to plan out a new town and had to decide on the best transportation system for it, what would you go for? 

In the light of hurricane Sandy and its effects on the NE region of America, the Subway/Metro has ended up being flooded along with road tunnels. Meanwhile many trees and power lines were overturned blocking roads and highways. 

There is much to consider in the planning of any town or city.