Re: World's First Fuel Cell-Powered Train Locomotive Slated for 2008

From: Stephen Sprunk (stephen_at_sprunk.org)
Date: 08/12/04

  • Next message: Dan Bloomquist: "Re: E <=> MC^2 generally ...and also inside living things!" 
    Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 22:17:20 -0500

    "Ian St. John" <istjohn@noemail.ca> wrote in message
    news:TevSc.14860$a65.713212@news20.bellglobal.com...
    > Even a single car ( 24 passenger weighing 7 tons ) can have a variation
    > from +400 kw draw to -380 kw ( if regenerative braking is used to save 40%
    > of power demands) See Figure 3.2 at
    > http://www.monorails.org/pdfs/Magnemotion.pdf While passenger trains have
    > lighter weight, the higher speed and acceleration compared to freight more
    > than compensates. Just think what the draw would be for a simple 7 car
    > passenger train ( Acela is 3 to 10 cars) with weights of about 65 tons per
    > car
    > http://www.bombardier.com/index.jsp?id=1_0&lang=en&file=/en/1_0/1_10/1_10_2_2.jsp%3Fmenu%3D1_1
    >
    > It would probably have a erratic draw of about +/- 6 megawatts and if you
    > have more than one active on a track....

    Acela draws a peak of 9.2MW during accelerationm but during deceleration it
    feeds a similar amount of power back into the grid; average consumption is
    probably under 3MW. With states like California having a total power output
    in the tens of GW, this is a rounding error even with dozens of trains
    running.

    A single modern powerplant has an output in the 500-1500MW range; that's
    more than enough to feed all the HSR in a state with enough left over to
    power a decent-sized city.

    >> Like you, I can't see a value for a traction engine that can pull a
    >> train safely at above 100-MPH, without a very state-of-the-art track
    >> bed that can support operations at such speeds (at least here in the
    >> US, including the Northeast Corrider). Due to the physics involved, I
    >> am of the opinion that to support very high-speed rail traffic
    >> requires a "captive rail system" similar to that used on roller
    >> coasters. To my knowledge, no such system has been implemented
    >> anywhere in the world.
    >
    > Not sure if I agree there. That might be going a bit far. But you
    > definitely
    > need a high stability roadbed, with wide curves, no level crossing, and
    > continuous rail, separate from the freight lines. At least, that is what
    > it
    > took in Europe.

    The NEC has no grade crossings and a solid roadbed; it just has too many
    curves (hence tilting trains) and the junctions need upgrading so that
    through trains don't have to slow down.

    Europe built brand-new tracks for most of their HSR routes, and if we want
    the same speeds we'll end up doing the same. But that takes a lot more
    money than Amtrak has available -- they can't even cover the operating costs
    of most of their routes, much less pay for captial improvements.

    S 

    -- 
Stephen Sprunk      "Those people who think they know everything
CCIE #3723         are a great annoyance to those of us who do."
K5SSS                                             --Isaac Asimov
  • Next message: Dan Bloomquist: "Re: E <=> MC^2 generally ...and also inside living things!"

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