Quote:
Originally Posted by clamgulch
The newer reactors are designed (supposedly) to be able to last their full 30 year life without refueling.
Box cars- that's an interesting idea. True, 500 hp won't push a loaded train car up steep hills very fast, but it would darned sure help a significant amount. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing." I wonder how much the price would drop if there were a dedicated plant manufacturing solar panels for ever single box car in the nation. Also, the beauty of solar panels is they don't wear out- so if they were built robustly enough, they could be transplanted to new cars when the old cars wear out.- or sold for other applications, like housing perhaps?
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I think roof was just having some fun. Dirt and Vandalism would be a huge problem if we put solar panels on box cars.
I like the idea of partial electrification of the railway better.
Use a smaller engine and use electricity to boost the train where necessary.
There was also a very good snippet posted some time ago where the train puts power back into the grid when dynamically braking on long inclines thus helping another train that is climbing instead putting it into the heat sinks where it's simply wasted.
