All Netherlands Railways trains will be 100% wind powered by 2018

[ska invita]

According to this
All Netherlands Railways trains will be 100% wind powered by 2018

Seems pretty incredible i think!

Is there a catch? A half-truth>?

 

[Sirena]

And if you're using electricity to power the trains would it be feasible to fit the trains with fans or wind-catchers of some sort?

Or would the energy generated by too minimal to be of any use?

 

[bi0boy]

And if you're using electricity to power the trains would it be feasible to fit the trains with fans or wind-catchers of some sort?

Or would the energy generated by too minimal to be of any use?

I'm sure a 100mph train running off overhead electric cables could easily accommodate a few masts and sails to catch the breeze

 

[JuanTwoThree]

I've been disappointed by thread titles before but this is one of the biggest let-downs I've had for a while. I was seeing something like this

or

 

[twentythreedom]

But will the train take off?

 

[The Boy]

But will the train take off?

turns out not:

 

[JuanTwoThree]

I think that's what you can see running alongside the roadside somewhere near Chartres.

 

[Judelo]

Thanks for the link about l'aerotrain

I've often wondered why all train roofs can't be plastered in solar panels (well, that goes for all roofs on everything everywhere, but anyway..) and not only the catenary gantries have little wind gennies on them but also the trains themselves. Or is there a thing about comparative power gained and lost, as in a wind genny on a train would create some power, but would actually slow the train down due to the wind resistance, and so make it pointless? Sorry about nonscientific language used here..

 

[two sheds]

Or is there a thing about comparative power gained and lost, as in a wind genny on a train would create some power, but would actually slow the train down due to the wind resistance, and so make it pointless?

Yes

 

[smmudge]

According to this
All Netherlands Railways trains will be 100% wind powered by 2018

Seems pretty incredible i think!

Is there a catch? A half-truth>?

That photo wasn't really taken in the Netherlands was it? Only it's taken from halfway up a hill.

 

[two sheds]

Maastricht has hills.

Eta. but doesn't have a coastline.

Etaeta but does have a lake.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Thanks for the link about l'aerotrain

I've often wondered why all train roofs can't be plastered in solar panels (well, that goes for all roofs on everything everywhere, but anyway..) and not only the catenary gantries have little wind gennies on them but also the trains themselves. Or is there a thing about comparative power gained and lost, as in a wind genny on a train would create some power, but would actually slow the train down due to the wind resistance, and so make it pointless? Sorry about nonscientific language used here..

Perpetual motion...

 

[maomao]

And if you're using electricity to power the trains would it be feasible to fit the trains with fans or wind-catchers of some sort?

Or would the energy generated by too minimal to be of any use?

You'd be converting diesel to wind power plus using deisel to carry the weight of the equipment. It would be a bit silly.

 

[Judelo]

You'd be converting diesel to wind power plus using deisel to carry the weight of the equipment. It would be a bit silly.

How would you be converting diesel to wind power?

 

[maomao]

How would you be converting diesel to wind power?

Exactly as you said in your own post. The power gained could only ever be as much as the power required (from fuel driving the train) to overcome the wind resistance (plus or minus headwind/tailwind) and even with 100% efficiency (which isn't possible) you'd be paying in diesel to carry the weight of the generating equipment.

 

[Judelo]

Ah yeah a diesel train, I was just thinking of electric trains..

 

[Judelo]

As in my suggestion to create as much of the electricity as possible renewably. BTW I'm not under any illusion that panels on the roofs and gennies on every gantry alone would be enough..

 

[Judelo]

Panels on the roofs of diesels could do all the lights etc though

 

[two sheds]

It would again be a balance between the extra weight of the panels and that they'd not always be facing in the right direction as the train turned corners

versus

having them pointed in the right direction but with transmission losses to get it to the train. Fairly sure this would be better though.

 

[WouldBe]

It would again be a balance between the extra weight of the panels and that they'd not always be facing in the right direction as the train turned corners .

and don't work very well in tunnels.

 

[Judelo]

Yeah, hadn't really considered the extra fuel (diesel or electric) needed to carry the sheer weight of the panels which, with current standard PV equipment, would be a LOT..

Aswell I suppose compared to the power needed to make the train move at a high speed it's fuck all extra to power all the auxiliary stuff from the same source.

I always just think every little bit helps, but if it doesn't...

 

[Dogsauce]

Panels on the roofs of diesels could do all the lights etc though

Or they could have glass roofs like a lot of cars these days and do away with lighting in the daytime. Might be issues with crashworthiness and scrotes dropping bricks through them off bridges, but it'd look pretty.

 

[Judelo]

Or they could have glass roofs like a lot of cars these days and do away with lighting in the daytime. Might be issues with crashworthiness and scrotes dropping bricks through them off bridges, but it'd look pretty.

I do like those on the continent with the kind of rounded edges of the roofs as windows; I know there were road coaches like it on this island back in the day.