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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy
As someone who grew up in NYC, I can tell you that even with the weather in NY power failures like you're talking about are extremely rare (and the government would be insane to include a rail line in a rolling blackout). On the whole, the failure rate of diesel locomotives is much higher. In fact, during the 1996 storm that hit the Northeast (the biggest in 50 years) the eletrified Amtrak lines were the only thing moving at all. Cantenary is much stronger than it looks.
<< And personally, I think catenary is damned ugly. I'd hate to see the coastal areas of the Surfliner route marred by such, unless it can be put underground or something.>>
It can not be put underground. Newer European style cantenary is not as obtrusive as the NY-style poles and cross wires you may be used to. If there were a way to avoid its advantages, I'd agree with you. But, hey, we're all dying a slow death in traffic and polluted air (and compared to the blight of a freeway, an electrified rail line is practically a beautification measure). Anyway, something has to be done about our traffic and pollution. If you try moving the tracks away from the coast it ceases to be as usefull and attractive to passengers. Everything's a pro and con, but electrified lines skirt up and down the French riveria coast, and they manage just fine.
RR
Instead of electrification, what if they boosted the speed limit for passenger trains to between 110-125mph? In Britain, they do this with diesels, and you can reach 110+mph with conventional equipment (much less $$$). This probably could be done on the Surf Line for considerably less money than it would cost to string catenary, as they aleady have 90mph running south of L.A.
Although diesels do pollute more than electrics, they are considerably more environmentally friendly than cars, and can go just about anywhere where there are standard gauge rails.
I have heard tell of a California plan to have a special high-speed rail line between San Diego and San Fancisco in the future, but I don't know how serious it is. It would be electric, but would use a separate, new line as opposed to just upgrading the existing infrastructure.
I realize that I may be speaking with somewhat of a "railfan bias," as I much prefer diesels to electrics, and find them considerably more aesthetically pleasing. With electrics, you lose the great variety that comes with diesels. Yes, electrics are much more efficient, but I would certainly miss seeing a four unit lashup straining against a 10,000 ton doublestack, or an F59 racing a Surfliner along the beach at San Clemente. With electrics, you loose a lot of that.
One thing that works to Europe's advantage is that their railroads are state run (for the most part). Here, even though the state can take over passenger rail, what do you do with the freight trains? I like seeing something that runs on it's own power as opposed to something that must draw it's power from overhead wire.
Oh well, enough of my rambling. I suppose I went way off topic. The idea is good -- maybe it's just that I don't like electrics. Now if they string catenary and built locomotives that look something like a GG1......
The Caltrain line upgrade eliminated several crossings, which increased safety and reduced delays for the trains.
quote:
Originally posted by MPALMER:
The Caltrain line upgrade eliminated several crossings, which increased safety and reduced delays for the trains.
And the results are quite attractive as well as functional.
I don't object to catenary in urban areas and near California's featureless farmlands, but I would never consent to marring California's spectacular coastline with it. I doubt the affected county governments and the California Coastal Commission would allow it either.
Electric trains are very inflexible. If you want to extend an electrified route, you have to extend the catenary which takes time and money. To extend a diesel route, you just get permission then keep going.
Looking at this strictly from a fuel efficiency standpoint, electrification may be better, but if all costs and the relative inflexibility of the system are considered, it probably isn't so great.
I read somewhere that high-speed diesels are being developed. That would free high-speed trains from the confines of the catenary and allow greater flexibility in routing, even over conventional tracks for part of its route.
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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy
And you are right on next gen HSR. There is a HSR diesel project. The research, funded jointly by FRA and Bombardier is behind schedule (by about two years). This next generation diesel loco will incorporate fly-wheel technology which will give the vehicle the same accelleration characteristics as an electric. Looks like the prototype test is going to happen sometime in 2004.