Chapter 8: Toboganning

In 1985 the first tent-tube enclosed thruway between Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay area was installed, one direction per tube, a single stream of pulled vehicles so fast that they were lifted by air cushion, wheels no longer in contact with the ground, whizzing along at several hundred miles per hour, upper air column moving along with them as they tobogganed along down the environmentally isolating tube.

Personalizing one's Pull-band car became an art. Its external shape and interface to the Pull-band system was standardized along with total maximum weight of occupied vehicle; otherwise, the personal vehicles were modified as one pleased. The seat would be up for leaving room to haul groceries and a child or two; would recline for relaxed sleeping during long commutes. Artwork often adorned exterior surfaces, and artists gained a new profession, hand painting the Pull-band cars, some owners likely to change their art design as often as their wardrobe styles.

By 1995, Los Angeles had recovered economically enough to begin construction of a light rail system connecting downtown with Long Beach, North Hollywood, Pasadena and Santa Monica. Those light rail trains mostly pulled platforms where Pull-band cars would be carried for the trips, although some seat cars were available for people on foot.