All Dutch trains run on green energy now.

[PA5COR]

All Dutch trains have become 100% powered by electricity generated by wind energy, the national railway company NS has said .
“Since 1 January, 100% of our trains are running on wind energy,” said NS spokesman, Ton Boon.


Dutch electricity company Eneco won a tender offered by NS two years ago and the two companies signed a 10-year deal setting January 2018 as the date by which all NS trains should run on wind energy.
“So we in fact reached our goal a year earlier than planned,” said Boon, adding that an increase in the number of wind farms across the country and off the coast of the Netherlands (https://www.theguardian.com/world/netherlands) had helped NS achieve its aim.
Eneco and NS said on a joint website that around 600,000 passengers daily are “the first in the world” to travel thanks to wind energy. NS operates about 5,500 train trips a day.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/10/dutch-trains-100-percent-wind-powered-ns

[KG4CGC]

This is awesome. Where are we, here stateside, on train technology?

[ad4mg]

I think we're having another look at coal fired locomotives...:roll:


This is awesome. Where are we, here stateside, on train technology?

[PA5COR]

It is a good step in the right direction.
More important is the development of the European super grid, connecting all countries together.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/11/uk-netherlands-power-cable-britned

It stretches 260km under the North Sea, contains 23,000 tonnes of copper and lead, and may represent the first step towards a renewable energy revolution based on a European electricity "supergrid". The £500m BritNed cable (https://www.britned.com/Pages/default.aspx), which has just entered operation, is the first direct current electricity link from the UK to another country in 25 years.
Operational since 2011.
The high voltage cable, a joint venture between the UK National Grid (https://www.theguardian.com/business/nationalgrid) and the Dutch grid operator TenneT, has a capacity of 1,000MW, the equivalent of a nuclear power station. It runs from the Isle of Grain in Kent to Maasvlakte, near Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.
High voltage DC (HVDC) cables allow electricity to be transmitted over much greater distances than existing alternating current lines, which start losing power after 80km. A network of HVDC cables across Europe (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) is seen as the key to "weather-proofing" the large scale use of renewable energy, some forms of which are intermittent and have to be balanced in real time with generation elsewhere.
The longest existing subsea HVDC cable is 580km (http://www.abb.co.uk/industries/ap/db0003db004333/4ada587c75f8d975c125774a00422545.aspx), linking Norway and the Netherlands.

See article for already existing infrastructure and planned infrastructure.

[KD8TUT]

Sometimes I wish there was a "like" button...

This makes me happy.

[WZ7U]

Me too

[KK4AMI]

I think we're having another look at coal fired locomotives...:roll:

What He said. First we need to get trains. At least We are creating the wind farms around here. A second one is going up this year in our county.

[PA5COR]

Looking at all the new solar panels going up the houses roofing here it is clear that solar panels now are cheap, and deliver profit in relative short time for pay back the system.

Our city installed large solar panels in new build area's supplying street lighting with energy running electricity battery's for night power. ( recycled old EV car battery's)
Most now LED lights, bright and low energy use.
Even the alley's get public LED lighting that way.

Central heating on natural gas are replaced by heatpump systems at the end of life of the gas fed central heating system.
New build houses don't get connected to the gas lines, completely running on heat pump systems and own generated electricity power and warm water solar panels.

Having thee EU super grid is the backbone for sharing surplus energy around in the Eu countries that need the extra energy or visa versa.
The sun aleays shines somewhere in the EU and the wind blows always somewhere in the EU.
Ground/air heat systems came a long way as well.

[KG4CGC]

I'm happy for y'all over there, Cor. I suspect the only new train we'll make over here will be nuclear powered and built by the Navy.

[n2ize]

Railroads are not as popular here in the USA as they are in Europe which has high speed passenger service. Rail service here is primarily for freight. Passenger service here primarily centers around commuter rail traffic and local urban rapid transit. So,for example in my area we see a lot of commuter rail service used mainly by people who live outside of NYC to get to work and of course the NYCTA (subway system). Both the commuter rail service (Metro-North) and the NYC Subway system have seen a large increase in ridership over the past couple of decades and now with the opening of the new 2nd Avenue subway ridership will likely increase even more. Unfortunately we don't have much in the way of modern long range high speed transit. Once you get outside of the NYC metro area and the surrounding suburbs rail service plays less and less of a role in peoples lives. It would be great if we would implement a modern efficient reliable high speed interstate rail system like you have over there. Unfortunately I doubt it's going to come to fruition anytime soon.:(

[n2ize]

I'm happy for y'all over there, Cor. I suspect the only new train we'll make over here will be nuclear powered and built by the Navy.
An Atomic Railroad !! Sounds great. We could even name the trains "Atom Smasher", "particle Accelerator", "Cyclotron", "Uranium", "radium", "plutonium", etc. You should suggest this idea to Trump. He might start building it the same day he is inaugurated and get Mexico to reimburse us for it.

[KG4CGC]

An Atomic Railroad !! Sounds great. We could even name the trains "Atom Smasher", "particle Accelerator", "Cyclotron", "Uranium", "radium", "plutonium", etc. You should suggest this idea to Trump. He might start building it the same day he is inaugurated and get Mexico to reimburse us for it.

You're closer to him.

[NA4BH]

We need a green train powered by URANUS.

[NQ6U]

We need a green train powered by URANUS.

Would that not be brown energy?

[KG4CGC]

... and Anacin. Do they still make Anacin?


http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/bebop5/Aliens%20Guy/Z-Anacin_zpszjlehhgk.jpg

[n2ize]

You're closer to him.
That's right... Trump is practically my neighbor. :yes:

[ka8ncr]

All Dutch trains have become 100% powered by electricity generated by wind energy, the national railway company NS has said .
“Since 1 January, 100% of our trains are running on wind energy,” said NS spokesman, Ton Boon.


Dutch electricity company Eneco won a tender offered by NS two years ago and the two companies signed a 10-year deal setting January 2018 as the date by which all NS trains should run on wind energy.
“So we in fact reached our goal a year earlier than planned,” said Boon, adding that an increase in the number of wind farms across the country and off the coast of the Netherlands (https://www.theguardian.com/world/netherlands) had helped NS achieve its aim.
Eneco and NS said on a joint website that around 600,000 passengers daily are “the first in the world” to travel thanks to wind energy. NS operates about 5,500 train trips a day.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/10/dutch-trains-100-percent-wind-powered-ns


Timely post Cor, I'll be visiting Amsterdam in the spring. I am very much looking forward to the trip.

Since your country has working public transport, any destinations I should visit using them?

[PA5COR]

Amsterdam is good, trains trams buses enough there to zoom you around.
The usual things to do there museums have a good coffee there, eating, etc.
Rotterdam is now rising up after Amsterdam as new tourist interest city, lots to see there as well.

Between Amsterdam and Rotterdam is the smaller city of Leiden, old inner city, many 13th to 15th century stuff to see as well museums, Their university mostly schooled our royalty.

Alkmaar for the cheese market, turist stuff, but still nice to see.
http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/netherlands-nl.htm
http://www.netherlands-tourism.com/things-netherlands-ultimate-top-50/
I'm living up North in the povince Friesland, lakes, canals, lots of boating around, not now, wintertime and next week we have a serious frost period, good for sprintime though.

Most peeps speak reasonable English, so making yourself understood will be no problem.

[ka8ncr]

Those are some good ideas, thanks Cor.

[n2ize]

I think we're having another look at coal fired locomotives...:roll:
That's part of Trumps "Make America Great Again" plan. When all those coal mines and steel mills are reopened we'll all be running our trains and heating our homes with coal again. The coal delivery truck will once again be a common site as well as yellow-brown sulphur filled air from all the coal burning. I will be removing our new efficient gas furnace and replacing it with a turn of the century coal furnace. Trust me, it will be great. Trump makes the best deals in town.

[N8YX]

As far as railroads being suburban and rural people movers goes: If I had a dollar for every foot of track which has been torn out since the federal government embarked on their big highway building campaigns, I'd be a very rich man.

That in a nutshell is what killed the railroad as a people mover in the less densely populated areas of the country.

Given the current emission regulations in place for diesel locomotives, it makes zero sense to examine anything but electricity as a locomotion power source. But that depends on WHY alternatives are being considered, not just the alternatives themselves. Is there a sufficient cost benefit per unit ton of fuel burned that railroads are seriously considering coal as a power source?

[HUGH]

Trains in the Nether lands appear to run on time as well. Sadly, in the UK, the individual lines have been privatised making fares expensive and routes inflexible. Delays are always blamed on the weather or anything other than the company running the service.

Britain is an island (yes, I know) with an extensive coastline and the Severn Estuary, and hence the South Wales coast, has an average tidal range of 26 feet. Some years ago the idea was raised of tidal lagoons to allow electricity generation but, thanks largely to the ineptitude of decision-making politicians, nothing happened. Suddenly this year, as a response to the regular closing of coal-fired power stations, it is likely that tidal lagoons will be created off the South Wales coast at Cardiff Bay and Swansea Bay.

This is something I'm in total agreement with rather than building wind farms, which are unreliable and poor value for money.

15155

15156

Local fishermen are not happy but it's likely that a lagoon could be a safe breeding area for fish and seabirds different to those encountered at present.

[n2ize]

As far as railroads being suburban and rural people movers goes: If I had a dollar for every foot of track which has been torn out since the federal government embarked on their big highway building campaigns, I'd be a very rich man.

That in a nutshell is what killed the railroad as a people mover in the less densely populated areas of the country.

Given the current emission regulations in place for diesel locomotives, it makes zero sense to examine anything but electricity as a locomotion power source. But that depends on WHY alternatives are being considered, not just the alternatives themselves. Is there a sufficient cost benefit per unit ton of fuel burned that railroads are seriously considering coal as a power source?

I don't know of any US based railways that are considering using coal. Round here most everything is electric except for a few diesel trains that might run on some of the few remaining miles of trackage that are still not electrified. In NYC subways diesels are only used to pull work trains in event electric power is down in an area for one reason or another. On the main commuter rail lines diesel use has declined considerably over the last decade or two as just about all trackage is now electrified. The New Haven line operates via a high voltage overhead catenary system and the Hudson and Harlem lines use a standard 600 VDC 3rd rail distribution system.