diesel vs. electricity

[Drsatan]

The A-class stock on the Metropolitain line until a few years ago were allowed to run at 75mph in normal service.

So, they're the world's fastest 4th rail trains.

 

[Ivo]

And what competition is there?

 

[90019]

I'm in favour of electrification. EMUs and electric locos accelerate more quickly, don't emit any CO2 directly, and create less noise.

I don't disagree with the sentiment of your post, but this is contentious, isn't it? After all, the electricity comes from somewhere, and coal/gas power stations are huge emitters of CO2 aren't they?

I think a little edit makes it more accurate

The indirect emissions will be lower than DMUs, but people who genuinely think they emit none are just naïve.

 

[craftsmaster]

Considering the prices of diesel in the world market, maintaining a diesel powered trains is in imminent danger. Though both uses non-renewable energy, it will come to an end. At the moment, electric powered trains is less cheaper than the other. I guess train with solar panel would be great

 

[Geezertronic]

I guess train with solar panel would be great

Maybe in Oz where you get quite a bit more sunshine than in the UK where summer was on a Saturday this year

 

[Peter Mugridge]

PV cells can generate a bit of power even when it is overcast, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort of carrying the extra weight around combined with the extra cleaning needed to keep them fully efficient.

They are also quite expensive to purchase.

What would be needed would be for a PV cell manufacturer to pay for a trial to see just how much difference a roofload of them would make; I suspect the answer would be "very little".

 

[EWS 58038]

Considering the prices of diesel in the world market, maintaining a diesel powered trains is in imminent danger. Though both uses non-renewable energy, it will come to an end. At the moment, electric powered trains is less cheaper than the other. I guess train with solar panel would be great

You will never be able to gain enough power from those panels to get your train even started. But ProRail (the Dutch NetworkRail) did a case study on Solar panelling all main lines and supply 60% of the requested energy by solar panels above the track.

The outcome... "Economically not viable as today's solar panels do not deliver enough energy". And as wind turbines do not operate on wind but on subsidies, ProRail imports hydrogen energy from Scandinavia to suply 86% of the network of so called "Green energy". Which of course is complete Bull S..T as energy can NEVER be green.

 

[90019]

PV cells can generate a bit of power even when it is overcast, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort of carrying the extra weight around combined with the extra cleaning needed to keep them fully efficient.

It's not worth it. PV cells are currently only up to about 30% efficient, and carrying the weight of them, which may not be much, but it's still extra weight would have very little effect whatsoever, especially if the train runs when it's dark or through tunnels (which most will do) - making them even less efficient.