Robots can replace electric batteries in cars - why not trains?

[Basil Jet]

I've thought for ages that having a train and driver sat around waiting for the battery to recharge doesn't make sense, and that the batteries should be quickly swapped and slowly recharged outside the train. Well, the following Tom Scott video shows that they have the technology for cars. It must be a lot easier to do this for trains.

 

[PGAT]

What would be the point? Pretty much all electric trains get their power from pantographs or third rails anyway, and ripping out the guts of a train to put a battery in every night would be the root cause of alot of failure and unreliability

 

[6Gman]

I've thought for ages that having a train and driver sat around waiting for the battery to recharge doesn't make sense, and that the batteries should be quickly swapped and slowly recharged outside the train. Well, the following Tom Scott video shows that they have the technology for cars. It must be a lot easier to do this for trains.

When and where are you proposing to do these swaps?

 

[SynthD]

If the turnaround at West Ealing was shorter, they could struggle to charge in time. But rather than spend years on this, they could wait for better battery technology. I think West Ealing will, or considered, slowly charge a battery at the station which will then fast charge the train battery.

It suits car drivers because they're used to petrol station visits and how short they are.

 

[Trainbike46]

I've thought for ages that having a train and driver sat around waiting for the battery to recharge doesn't make sense, and that the batteries should be quickly swapped and slowly recharged outside the train. Well, the following Tom Scott video shows that they have the technology for cars. It must be a lot easier to do this for trains.

you'd be introducing a lot of things that need maintenance and can break, so could reduce reliability and add costs

For trains, there is an established method of charging while operating (using OHLE or 3rd rail), so why would you want to replace batteries if you could instead install wiring in strategic locations to charge batteries, for an overall more reliable solution?

 

[Nym]

There's also the small consideration of the automotive industry is not subject to safety standards. I'll just put that in there for some context.