  We study the Hamiltonian dynamics of a one-dimensional chain of linearly
coupled particles in a spatially periodic potential which is subjected to a
time-periodic mono-frequency external field. The average over time and space of
the related force vanishes and hence, the system is effectively without bias
which excludes any ratchet effect. We pay special attention to the escape of
the entire chain when initially all of its units are distributed in a potential
well. Moreover for an escaping chain we explore the possibility of the
successive generation of a directed flow based on large accelerations. We find
that for adiabatic slope-modulations due to the ac-field transient long-range
transport dynamics arises whose direction is governed by the initial phase of
the modulation. Most strikingly, that for the driven many particle Hamiltonian
system directed collective motion is observed provides evidence for the
existence of families of transporting invariant tori confining orbits in
ballistic channels in the high dimensional phase spaces.
