ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,311,713, issued on May 27.

"Road to rail hybrid vehicles using a transition span and passive junctions" was invented by Thomas Holtzman Williams (Longmont, Colo.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Described is a hybrid transportation system with hybrid vehicles (H-vehicles) that can travel on pavement (or off-road), then transition to railroad track travel, and then later transition back onto pavement without stopping or requiring an operator to exit the vehicle. At static rail junctions (with no moving switch parts) the H-vehicle selects its outgoing track. Turns at passive junctions are made by applying lateral force which may be applied u...