Login
or
Register
Home
»
Trains Magazine
»
Forums
»
General Discussion
»
Trains of the future...
Edit post
Edit your reply below.
Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by daveklepper</i> <br /><br />I don't think it will be maglev. You have to use energy to lift the train as well as propel it, and the advantages of less friction come into play only at very high speeds. <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />nuclear power is not feasible, but they are working on Gaseous fission reactor, with limited successes. this will esencially be a perpetual fuelless reactor that will provide enough energy to power several cities and still be only the size of a modest house. expect to see one of these in full production by 2025, they're very close, few minor details to work out. Also Cold Fusion is also being looked into, but don't expect to see this before the turn of the century, the energy ratio of input/output leans heavily to the input side right now. <br /> <br />Maglev will be favored, not for the frictonless aspect, but because fo the costs in maintaining and lubing those wheels with Oil based products. remember, those trucks require a lot of lubercation to work, and that will cost too much when the price of oil get's to high. thus Railroads will opt for removing the trucks all together for a more clean system, and that is only maglev right now. there's other advantages to Maglev as well, no need to use sand (a cost cutter), more direct routes (they can go up to 10% grades without loss), they are quieter (means they can run in more places, like through residential areas and only sound like a whoosh and that's close by), and since they're elevated (usually) that means less impact on the enviroment and wildlife. <br /> <br />Like i said, it'll be a 2 stage process, first will be modifications of existing locomotives use maglev technology for propulsion and still retain the trucks for guidence, then they will slowly convert to full maglev operations over time. believe me, we will see a more green rail system as companies start feeling the pinch of the cost of oil. <br /> <br />PS. as interesting as this topic is, i am going out of towen on business for till thursday, so won't be able to see anything prgress till then. discuss amongst yourselves. See you thursday!
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag
Update Reply
Join our Community!
Our community is
FREE
to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Login »
Register »
Search the Community
Newsletter Sign-Up
By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our
privacy policy
More great sites from Kalmbach Media
Terms Of Use
|
Privacy Policy
|
Copyright Policy