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In lugnet.trains, Todd Thuma wrote:
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Maybe someone will design a butane based fuel cell that will work. Or perhaps
a solar power solution will work.
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This reminds me - has anyone built a fully functioning overhead rail electric
train layout where the power is provided by the overhead wires like this:
This would alleviate the need for powered rails and do away with the battery
issue. True, it would only work for prototypical electrified trains like seen
on the Northeast Corridor, but it would be neat to see if more people could
adapt the newer trains to this configuration. Too bad no freight trains that I
can think of use electric like this - it seems only passenger trains use
overhead wires?
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In lugnet.trains, Bob Parker wrote:
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In lugnet.trains, Todd Thuma wrote:
| |
Maybe someone will design a butane based fuel cell that will work. Or
perhaps a solar power solution will work.
|
This reminds me - has anyone built a fully functioning overhead rail electric
train layout where the power is provided by the overhead wires like this:
This would alleviate the need for powered rails and do away with the battery
issue. True, it would only work for prototypical electrified trains like
seen on the Northeast Corridor, but it would be neat to see if more people
could adapt the newer trains to this configuration. Too bad no freight
trains that I can think of use electric like this - it seems only passenger
trains use overhead wires?
|
The only issue with this is that standard catenary has a single wire to deliver
current, and metal rails act as the “ground” for the circuit. One could instead
adopt a setup like that used for electric buses in cities such as San Francisco,
where there are two overhead wires and two contacts. The link has a picture:
http://mirror-uk-rb1.gallery.hd.org/_exhibits/places-and-sights/_more2001/_more02/US-CA-San-Francisco-by-bus-001-electric-trolley-bus-power-cables-overhead-bus-has-orange-red-white-livery-DHD.jpg
This is very doable, if a bit less than prototypical. And it is an idea that
can be tested and improved even with current hardware - one just needs some
motors (9V or otherwise) and a 9V speed regulator to supply current to the
overhead lines.
-Jordan
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In lugnet.trains, Bob Parker wrote:
| |
This reminds me - has anyone built a fully functioning overhead rail electric
train layout where the power is provided by the overhead wires like this:
This would alleviate the need for powered rails and do away with the battery
issue. True, it would only work for prototypical electrified trains like
seen on the Northeast Corridor, but it would be neat to see if more people
could adapt the newer trains to this configuration. Too bad no freight
trains that I can think of use electric like this - it seems only passenger
trains use overhead wires?
|
Two-pole contact is needed. But most of the electrified railways use only one
overhead wire (like the ex-Soviet loco in the photo). The only examples of
more-wire systems I know about, are deep in the history:
--Siemens’ experimental high-speed train, 1903 (3-wire, 3-phase AC)
--Tabor-Bechyne railway in southern Bohemia, 1903 (2-wire, DC, for safety
reasons = lower voltage between wire and ground), 1930s rebuilt
to single wire
--some mountain railways in the Alps (2-wire, 3-phase???)
The freight/passenger question: I don’t know much about U.S. trains, but in
Europe there are electric locos that pull freight trains as well as passenger
trains.
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In lugnet.trains, Martin Srb wrote:
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In lugnet.trains, Bob Parker wrote:
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SNIP
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The freight/passenger question: I don’t know much about U.S. trains, but in
Europe there are electric locos that pull freight trains as well as passenger
trains.
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In France nowadays (and most part of Europe), almost all freight engines are
electric. (thank to a highly available hydroelectricity and nuclear
electricity). It remains of course some diesel engines but they are replaced for
electric ones as they are discontinued.
In fact, in Europe, we are in an opposite situation compared to north america.
Europe has lot of passenger train and lack of freight train, europe use
electricity mainly where US/Canada use oil. This situation seems to be the
consequence of geographic facts (distance, population density) - In many ways ,
europe looks like US north east corridor.
To answer the initial question, I have never seen lego train powered by aerial
wires, nor listen about such a project.
Didier
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In lugnet.trains, Didier Enjary wrote:
SNIP
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In France nowadays (and most part of Europe), almost all freight engines are
electric. (thank to a highly available hydroelectricity and nuclear
electricity). It remains of course some diesel engines but they are replaced
for electric ones as they are discontinued.
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Ironically, in the UK, when the (US) Winsconsin Central took over the main
freight operator, EWS, they reduced the use of electric locos, presumably
because they couldn’t get their heads round using electricity to haul trains!
Luckily now that Railion (the freight arm of the German railways there might be
a move the other way.
Tim
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In lugnet.trains, Martin Srb wrote:
SNIP
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--some mountain railways in the Alps (2-wire, 3-phase???)
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The Gornergratbahn
Tim
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