RE: [OT] unaffordable at any speed

The secret to trains "efficiency" is very little friction between steel
rails and stell wheels. The highway and rubber tires can't compare....

John

-----Original Message-----
From: profox-bounces <at> leafe.com [mailto:profox-bounces <at> leafe.com] On Behalf
Of Stephen Russell
Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 4:31 PM
To: ProFox Email List
Subject: Re: [OT] unaffordable at any speed

On Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 3:54 PM, Leland Jackson <lelandj <at> mail.smvfp.com>
wrote:

> It could take decade to make the transition in any significant way to
> the electric cars, and the electric motor is not well suited to
> transport by air, ship, rail, and 18 wheelers that do the heavy lifting
> in commercial transportation of goods to the consumer, which is the
> heart and life blood of an economy.  I don't see a total transition to
> the electric car.  I think the electric car will become just another
> option like petrol or diesel cars.
----------------

Rail moves by electricity for engine power.  Produced onsite in diesel
generators but it is electric motors that make fast quiet trains.

A decade is not much time to start to replace what is there by 15-25%

I don't see a huge JUMP from our current power source to a new one.
Starting to actually consider a different one is what will be great.

Wonder if you took the diesel power in a tractor / trailer and
converted that to power generation for battery instead and coupled it
to an electric motor like trains do if there would be an advantage.
When you read or heat the rail quotes of cost per ton of freight to
move it is incredible.

--

-- 
Stephen Russell

Sr. Production Systems Programmer
CIMSgts

901.246-0159 cell

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