Atmostrack History
The Start
Atmostrack began when its inventor began thinking about trains derailing. Death, injury and the social consequences, he realized, were inevitable with a steel wheel on steel rail technology that was essentially unchanged in two hundred years.
In his thinking he re-visited the atmospheric railway principle used by Brunel and others in the nineteenth century. As a tethered system it resisted derailing. However, as the invention took shape, the inventor realized his system would be not only virtually immune to derailing but also to collision.
The icing on the cake for the invention was that it could be operated without fossil fuels and their attendant pollution, politics and banking.
(Clearly, therefore, Atmostrack is indeed a disruptive technology!)
On the Road
Atmostrack has been presented to some of Britain's best engineering companies and has uniformly been given a warm reception. Company Directors and Chairmen have given us generously of their time and examined the patent in detail. Without exception these companies were adamant that the patent will work. We left our meetings with these companies with the door open for future commercial relationships. Some (see below) committed resources to assist in an engineering proof of concept.
Engineering Study
An engineering study was completed by Intelligent Fluid Solutions
Earlier Alliances
Atmostrack wanted to construct an engineering proof of concept and built alliances to do so. However, as the principles were all personally spent out this meant finding initial funding. We were unable to do this without turning the patent over to venture capital.
One well known innovative engineering company committed to doing the engineering for the proof of concept and supplied us with some drawings. Corus offered steel and land in one of their facilities in Wales. A steel fabricating company in Wales offered to fabricate the steel in return for future considerations.
A Mistake
One medium sized steel fabricating company offered to construct a proof of concept on some of their land in Wales. However, due to their own internal situation and the approaching economic downturn, this did not materialise. We wish this company well and remain open to future possibilities, but it did cost us more than two years.
We have now revised our approach. Employee ownership has now been incorporated.