ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area gas prices

I say its time to tell the "DemoRats" go pound sound... and start drilling in Alaska... we need to NOT be dependant on foreign oil..

Alan,

We have talked about electric traction here in the past, for example:
https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000165.html

I seem to recall a thread about the Channel Tunnel power, although I can't find it at the moment. You might try to seeach facility in the non-U.S. area.

I think you'd like a couple of old 45s I have in my collection: Cheaper Crude or No More Food and Take Your Oil and Shove It.

No prizes for guessing when they were recorded!

paul,
thanks for the link. Searching myself I found the answers just mind blowing. The locos run on 25kv ac single phase, one OH wire, neutral to a rail, with literally TONS (thousands) of small fan-cooled solid state triacs or diodes on board coupled to transformers. These pull up to 12,000KW. Not only will this allow three phase asynchronous motors (Eurostar) or 3 ph synchronous motors (type 92 freight) to be used, but the system copes with 50hz, 16.66hz, and DC voltages from 750-1500 and all stations in between using retractable shoes to pick up 3RD rail DC, if required, in all the various EU state railway (railroad) systems. I thought, Neat!! Then I found in an old book I have, published in 1926, a photo of a 3-coupled overhead pantograph electric loco of 270,300lb drawbar pull running on 11,000v single phase, with 3-phase motors running through a rotary phase-converter, all up weight 570 tons. It is absolutely massive, and makes Mallard look like a tea-trolley. Made by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. of America. At which time, of course, a poor old British fireman had to shovel over 20 tons of coal into a firebox between London and Edinborough.
Damn! Second again!
Alan

I always knew ANWR was the answer to our energy needs. Its such a briilant plan that only an oil guy like W could think it up. Too bad we'd still import most of our oil with ANWR at full production.

[This message has been edited by walrus (edited 04-05-2005).]

For ECN's electric traction fans (you know who you are ), gp here for the photo .

On this oil line,I know that there is a ton of work going on at syncrude and suncor in Northern Alberta, hopefully this will give North America a little more independance,because nothing irks me more than pumping gas into my vehicle,and pumping cash into some freedom hating sand rat that would rather see me dead than alive.
(politically incorrect,but is generally correct)

Growing energy producing plants, for bio-diesel, alcohol-gasoline substitutes or solid-fuels for power stations, such as willow, is taking off in Europe.
These bio-energy products, along with wind, wave and solar power are now EU policy, and now that EU farmers' subsidies for producing cheap food have stopped, many are looking to grow 'fuel' as a crop. I know that you get branded as a 'redneck' for saying it, but there is a kind of logic in the idea of "We will burn our wheat- you eat your oil"