OK - so I was reading this article from the iamoka.com links and I had an idea for California. http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?section=local&display=content/local/1locomotives.inc There's alot of mountains in Cali and alot of really big trains going downhill. If I remember correctly, the way dynamic brakes work is to turn the traction motors into generators to add rolling resistance to the train helping to keep it's speed down. Now, the motors are generating heaps of electricity that needs to go somewhere. Right now we have giant electric resistors in the engines with big fans cooling them - could we get overhead wires in downhill sections and have the railroads sell the electricity back to the California utilities? OK, I guess the flaw in my plan here is that the RRs won't actually get paid. Oh well, it was a good idea anyway.
Rob, A good idea actually we have been doing something similar here in Sydney for years. When a locomotive would be going down the grade from Lithgow to Penrith, the locomotive would re-generate the 1500v Dc back into the system usually supplying a train climbing the grade
This has been happening in Switzerland for a long time. From memory, I think that three downgrade trains put enough power back into the system to power one upgrade train
How about doing what CN did back during the aftermath of the Jan 7 1998 ice storms? They 'drove' a locomotive down the street, of several towns, to the Town Hall to supply electricity for those sheltering there whilst the infrastructure was being rebuilt. Also I have heard MRL is doing the same for online customers who are having electrical supply problems. Apparently the costs have gone through the roof and MRL has offered to provide spare locos set up as generators for these customers. The MRL thing sounds like an April Fools joke but we're near May! The precedent is there, though. Gary.
I remember photos of the CN engines 'driving' through the streets. Would have liked to have seen that in person
Hi all, Thermodynamics always wins, it's probable that a person could re-use,re- generate electricity but would it cost more to set up catennaries and the necessary electrical "plant" to take advantange of the technology. And even though every little bit helps, whose gonna' pay for it? Nowadays we see cities asking the R.R.'s to pay for overcrossings ETC. when they were there first. It's a conundrum, WE want the services but WE don't wanna pay for them.
Hey, can we talk UP into doing this in California. If not, I have a feeling we will be sweating in the dark this summer
Kevin, maybe you could talk the US Navy into helping CA with the power shortage. After hurricanes, Navy ships based in ports such as Jacksonville (Mayport), FL and Charleston, SC back-feed the power grid for a week or so until the local utilities can get their generators back on line. Nah ... CA is not a "Natural Disaster", it's man-made Hank
