Call it “Son of Tram.”

A former Boeing electrical technician says he has the solution to the nation’s road congestion problems and dependence on fossil fuels: a tram made from the fuselages of old 727’s and fueled by solar energy, wind power and hydrogen fuel cells.

Ben Missler’s fledgling Milwaukie-based company, Mass Tram America, Inc., recently approached the City of Troutdale about locating a prototype tram there. Discussions so far have focused on a tram that would go from Troutdale to Government Camp.

http://thehighwayinthesky.us

Sketch of tram idea

“Whoa,” said Troutdale Mayor Paul Thalhofer. “It's a little stretch. But I can picture it. I'm kind of a visionary in a lot of ways.”

Missler said his vision of a “highway in the sky” came to him while stuck in a traffic jam in Seattle.

“Ideas kept popping into my mind,” he said. “We don’t have to reinvent anything. Everything is there, right off the shelf.”

Missler has a vision of wind-and-solar-powered trams moving people alongside major highways and bridges all over the U.S.

Unlike the tram at OHSU, which is built on a cable system, Missler’s tram would consist of old fuselages attached to cables held up by towers outfitted with solar panels and wind turbines. He claims they would travel between 100 and 200 miles-per-hour.

How to pay for the highway-in-the-sky?

It’s not clear. Mass Tram America is seeking venture capitalists, grants and government funding. Missler says once a tram is in place, it will actually make money by generating electricity that can be sold.

Mayor Thalhofer says his city can’t afford to contribute financially to the proposed prototype. But he says he’s willing to hear more from Mass Tram America, Inc.

More info: Highwayinthesky