ok...

Took me a while to figure this out.
A plastic chain system with magnets on it drags a metal skid with a car, truck or a bike along it.

Spiffy!

Link to site: http://www.magnorail.com/site/en

You ought to see what happens when

you apply it to rails.

 That is a 25% or 1 in 4 grade. The first magnetic haulage was in August 2009 on the flat as shown in one of my other YouTube clips. The Corrimal Colliery Incline layout is now at the scenery and tree-planting stage.There are a few traps in using this type of haulage, but perhaps that is for another time and place?    

Here's a video of the

Here's a video of the Magnorail system...

Faller's system seems to be more flexible...

Steve S

Faller Car System

The system used at Miniature Wunderland is based on Faller's, but has been extensively upgraded with custom electronics.  The basic Faller system allows you to run vehicles at only one speed following a buried guide wire, change directions at hidden "switches" and abruptly start and stop using hidden magnets.

The Miniature Wunderland system uses sensors and shortrange wireless controls in the road to operate turn signals, brake lights and emergency vehicle lighting, plus allow gradual accelleration from a stop and various cruising speeds depending on the location.  Stops are still abrupt, since the stop magnets are very localized and gradual braking would carry the vehicle past the magnet.

There is a company called DC-Car which supplies wireless control components using IR technology.  These vehicles can be controlled using a DCC system or similar digital controls, allowing infinite speed control as well as control of lighting and possibly sound functions, as well as detectors which allow following traffic to brake to avoid hitting another vehicle stopped or travelling more slowly ahead.  It still requires the buried wire and mechanical switches to route the vehicles, but the additional control features are impressive.

Mind you, good luck getting a working bicycle for any of those systems.

Pig ramp

I've always wanted something like this for my intermodal ramp, since the prototype is a beehive of truck activity.  Unfortunately, I can't see tearing it out in order to install one of these systems.