[mcpuck]

Thu, January 13, 2005

'Electric Ride'

A sneak peek at Canada's new way to get places

By Mikey McPuck, STAFF REPORTER

As I woke up this morning, I was crackling with anticipation as I looked forward to today’s assignment. I was travelling to Calgary on CN’s new test train of the future. The “Hydrospress Trans Canada” train is a new semi-experimental passenger train. I felt very lucky to be chosen to represent my paper and of course, write about my grand experience.

The HTC was revolutionary for three main reasons. The HTC is a passenger train, which also carried the passenger’s automobile to their destination. In addition the train runs solely on electricity. A train that allows the passenger to take along their car provides some significant advantages never seen before:

1) Fossil fuel consumption is reduced significantly across the country.
2) Carefree inter city travel becomes universally available.
3) At a cruising speed of 240 kph, the travel time is reduced to less than half
4) Reduced travel costs
5) Reduced highway traffic related fatalities
6) Relief to over burdened airports and airlines will be provided.

Several windmill farms along the route power the train. The windmills provide direct power to the train on most days. For less windy days when the windmills are not producing adequate power, hydrogen powered back up generators provide power to the train grid. At each station along the route, the hydrogen will be produced, stored and eventually used. The hydrogen is produced by electrolysing water, using electricity generated from additional windmill farms or hydro-electricity where available.

The train glides along high-speed tracks designed for all weather conditions. The tracks are guarded on both sides by a sturdy fence designed to keep out even the smallest of creatures. Every 10-KM, a wildlife bridge flows over the tracks of the HTC to allow free flow of domestic and wild animals.

As I pulled into New Union Station in South Winnipeg, I followed the vehicle embarkation signs into a vast cathedral-like building and parked. Well placed signs instructed me to report to the terminal. At the desk, I had my E-ticket stamped and I surrendered my keys. In short order my vehicle was loaded on one train and I boarded a second passenger oriented train.

We crawled slowly away from the station and through the city but as we breached city limits, we quickly climbed to our top cruising speed. The view from this train was astounding. In construction, the builders purposely placed this route away from most civilization. The wildlife, farmland, and sky scenes were always breathtaking. The train is blissfully silent as it rockets along the countryside. We pulled into Regina just two hours and ten minutes later. There was a brief stop to let off and accept passengers. The terminal in Regina was very similar in construction to its Winnipeg counterpart but was radically different in look and feel. All the cities along the route were encouraged to assert their own unique culture within each terminal.

As the HTC pulled into its final destination in North Calgary, I reflected on my previous trips to Calgary from Winnipeg. One July day I crossed the prairies in my old 1984 Oldsmobile. The temperature that day was 35 degrees Celsius in the shade. As I fought off heat stroke and fatigue, I remained always vigilant for wildlife wandering on to the highway. On coming drivers who may meander into my lane as we approached one another always provided me a small degree of stress. Flying is expensive and I preferred to have my own transportation while I visited friends. This new mode of transportation has remedied all those problems in one neat little package. The train which carried my vehicle ahead of the passenger train was already unloaded. My little Toyota was a pleasant sight to see as I walked into the disembarkation point. I drifted back to those long drives and can’t help but be amazed. In five short stress free hours, I have arrived in Calgary with my car. The future has arrived and its in a train station.

[norad]

$1:

1) Fossil fuel consumption is reduced significantly across the country.

I know you didn't write this, mcpuck, but pointing out a flaw in this fellow's logic. Why? It really depends on how the power is generated. If by coal burning plants, well, not much of an environmental benefit I would say.

I think they are on the right track (no pun intended), but they need to look outside of the box. Static electricity is one possibility. Magnetism is another. Those are free energies in my opinion, but the question is how to harness it to make use of it with an application such as this? I think both static and magnetism could be generated through the use of windmills; the cost though would be quite extensive, but with free energy, one can make up the cost in no time. Also, I think there would be some government grants, since I think the concept I described above could be considered R&D.

[dgthe3]

that new train sounds great but i too have issues with the claim that it can dramatically reduce fossil fuel consumption. there is far more fuel used in the city by cars than there is travelling between cities on trains or in cars. never the less, it is still a great idea

[Rev_Blair]

$1:

It really depends on how the power is generated. If by coal burning plants, well, not much of an environmental benefit I would say.

The article specifies wind-power with hydrogen generators for back-up. Clean hydrogen production requires two things...water and electricity. Quebec and Manitoba have both of those things and would be the natural place for producing hydrogen. Right now we strip hydrogen out of natural gas using whatever electricity is available...that's no good.

$1:

there is far more fuel used in the city by cars than there is travelling between cities on trains or in cars.

That's very true. A train like this would be a great idea, but putting reasonable transit systems in cities would be an even better idea. Best of all would be combining the two.

The other thing it doesn't address is cost. Right now rail travel is expensive.
The writer mentions a time savings because the train goes so fast, but all of the cars have to be loaded and there would have to be security check, so that's unlikely at this point. I'll bet the Winnipeg to Regina trip would take the same 6-1/2 hours from my house as it does now.

[norad]

I didn't read the whole thing since I'm at work, but after glancing quickly at it, I see that they are going to use windmills, but still talks about using electicity if needed, and water too.

I still think it's a concept that doesn't go far enough outside of the box though. As I have mentioned, there is plenty of free energy around us; we just need to get out of the little minds that we have and start acting like we are an intelligent species. Static electricity surrounds this planet for instance. Magnetic fields surround this planet. Again, to harness this energy without expending energy is the trick, which can be done.

[Streaker]

I'm telling you, mcpuck, you've got to quit your day job, listen to "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles and get started on your new career!!

I love the idea of a Trans-Canadian high speed rail system. It would be the modern day National Dream. Do our politicians have the courage and vision to get this started? No.

Well, not yet, anyhow. For decades there has been talk of a high speed rail service between Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto. More recently Edmonton-Calgary has also been mentioned as a possible route. These schemes would cost billions. I'm guessing that a complete Trans-Canadian system would cost in the tens of billions. I kinda suspect that Paul Martin is just slightly too lacking in the "vision thing" for this to happen. Oh well, he won't be PM forever, eh?

I have some doubts about the "car-transport" feature. I seems to me that it would add a lot of cost onto what would already be an expensive project. I think Rev might also be right about it slowing down the service.

I like all the ideas that have been mentioned for supplying power to the system. With or without the "Hydrospress Trans-Canada" we need to begin developing alternative sources of energy anyways.

[Rev_Blair]

We don't have that technology at present though, Norad. We do have all the technology present in the article. Electric rail has been around forever, wind power is nothing new. We have hydrogen fuel cells powering buses that could also be used as generators.

While we should be researching magnetism and static electricity as a power source, we presently have no way of harnessing them. So let's move forward with what we have and adapt it to new technologies as they become available.

[mcpuck]

norad norad:

I know you didn't write this, mcpuck, but pointing out a flaw in this fellow's logic. Why? It really depends on how the power is generated. If by coal burning plants, well, not much of an environmental benefit I would say. I think they are on the right track (no pun intended), but they need to look outside of the box. Static electricity is one possibility. Magnetism is another. Those are free energies in my opinion, but the question is how to harness it to make use of it with an application such as this? I think both static and magnetism could be generated through the use of windmills; the cost though would be quite extensive, but with free energy, one can make up the cost in no time. Also, I think there would be some government grants, since I think the concept I described above could be considered R&D.

I did actually write this article. I was attempting to give it a sense of being a real scenario by making it look like a journalist wrote it.

Fossil fuel is not at all part of my concept.

I really like your ideas about energy.

Did our forefathers consider cost when it came to building the Trans-Canada railroad? The railroad was built in the name of sovereignty. I believe their is a huge case in the name of Soveriegnty and National Security in this new mode of transportation.

[mcpuck]

dgthe3 dgthe3:

that new train sounds great but i too have issues with the claim that it can dramatically reduce fossil fuel consumption. there is far more fuel used in the city by cars than there is travelling between cities on trains or in cars. never the less, it is still a great idea

True enough but hydrogen fueled cars are just around the corner.

Safety -> http://www.bellona.no/en/energy/hydroge ... 22966.html

Safety -> http://www.h2cars.biz/artman/publish/article_610.shtml

feasibility -> http://www.h2cars.biz/artman/publish/article_296.shtml

beyond cars, we need fast trains in and out of the cities. We need good cheap efficient public transportation.

[mcpuck]

Rev_Blair Rev_Blair:

The other thing it doesn't address is cost. Right now rail travel is expensive. The writer mentions a time savings because the train goes so fast, but all of the cars have to be loaded and there would have to be security check, so that's unlikely at this point. I'll bet the Winnipeg to Regina trip would take the same 6-1/2 hours from my house as it does now.

In my concept, I would allow for six autos per train flat car which is well under the weight capacity of these platforms. The design I have in mind would facilitate simple and quick loading not unlike a water ferry routinely used everyday. Of course, for safety and security reasons CN employees would load the cars but the waiting time wouldn't have to be long.

Picture this: 400 passengers devided by 1.25 to account for the ratio of passengers to cars (this is a generous ration because most passengers will not have a vehicle). This would create the need to ferry 320 cars along with the passenger. A total of 53 flatbeds would be required to facilitate the trip. This would be 1650 ft of train and and about 160,000 pounds of frieght. This is way under capacity for most frieght trains (400,000 LBS). I understand we are talking about a high speed train but I think it is very feasable. It is very important to build a track with no intersecting roads (without a bridge involved of course).

Start up costs for such a project would be enourmous to say the least but not out of reach. Maintanence would be minimal as well.

Why couldn't this be a crown corporation. Canada absorbs the start up costs into the GDP spending and the corporation is run as a quasi-non profit organization continuously turning its profits into the operation.

[mcpuck]

Rev_Blair Rev_Blair:

We don't have that technology at present though, Norad. We do have all the technology present in the article. Electric rail has been around forever, wind power is nothing new. We have hydrogen fuel cells powering buses that could also be used as generators.

While we should be researching magnetism and static electricity as a power source, we presently have no way of harnessing them. So let's move forward with what we have and adapt it to new technologies as they become available.

Exactly !! not only do we have them but WE have them. There are a number of Canadian companies that could assist in this concepts developement such as Bombardier, CN, CP, Ballard Industries, New Flyer Industries. The list goes on.

[mcpuck]

Freaker Freaker:

I'm telling you, mcpuck, you've got to quit your day job, listen to "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles and get started on your new career!!

I love the idea of a Trans-Canadian high speed rail system. It would be the modern day National Dream. Do our politicians have the courage and vision to get this started? No.

Well, not yet, anyhow. For decades there has been talk of a high speed rail service between Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto. More recently Edmonton-Calgary has also been mentioned as a possible route. These schemes would cost billions. I'm guessing that a complete Trans-Canadian system would cost in the tens of billions. I kinda suspect that Paul Martin is just slightly too lacking in the "vision thing" for this to happen. Oh well, he won't be PM forever, eh?

I have some doubts about the "car-transport" feature. I seems to me that it would add a lot of cost onto what would already be an expensive project. I think Rev might also be right about it slowing down the service.

I like all the ideas that have been mentioned for supplying power to the system. With or without the "Hydrospress Trans-Canada" we need to begin developing alternative sources of energy anyways.

Freaker, I think you are my only fan but thanks nonetheless. I appreciate your enthusiastic support.

Saddly, I think you are right about P Martin. Even as a captain of industry, I suspect he can't comprehend what sort of impact a new mode of transportation like this would have on Canada and the world.

If we did it first, perfected it and exported it, the financial dividends would be almost unimagineable.

[dgthe3]

looks like you are trying to boost your posts mcpuck, i don't care though, just an observation.

the idea of fuel cells was brought up and i think that they will end up changing many things, not just transport. their prices are coming down, and their power is going up. they could be used as a type of battery, supply heating and electricity to factories (i think so do already, i might be mistaken though), and of course, power cars. near zero emissions, and as far as safety, i heard that hydrogen can be just as explosive as gasoline, but the hindenburg and challenger disasters gave hydrogen a bit of a bad image

BTW, my physics prof used to work for Ballard fuel cells before he came to my university

[mcpuck]

dgthe3 dgthe3:

looks like you are trying to boost your posts mcpuck, i don't care though, just an observation.

Not true .. just trying to promote my concept of an electric trans-canada train.. I'm innocent

dgthe3 dgthe3:

as far as safety, i heard that hydrogen can be just as explosive as gasoline, but the hindenburg and challenger disasters gave hydrogen a bit of a bad image.

if you look up at one of my earlier posts I placed a URL there directing you to a site that spoke about safety. The tests proved that hydrogen was actually safer.

dgthe3 dgthe3:

BTW, my physics prof used to work for Ballard fuel cells before he came to my university

very cool

[norad]

$1:

I did actually write this article. I was attempting to give it a sense of being a real scenario by making it look like a journalist wrote it.

Really, mcpuck? Jeez, that was good writing because that really had me convinced it came from an article, and duh, Mikey McPuck should have told me!

$1:

We don't have that technology at present though, Norad.

I'm not so sure about that, Rev. If memory serves correctly, didn't the U.S. do an experiment with static electricity in 1968, or was it 1958? It was a one man vehicle, and saucer shaped. This thing hovered above the ground using static electricity, but apparently it was scrapped because it was too erratic in nature. I'll try to find a link to the test the U.S. did.

It's an interesting debate going on here. No name calling or 'you're stupid' remarks. Nice for a change of pace.