Battery-powered trolley for Kingston?

It's an interesting concept...

http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NE ... 20/142783/

The company's proprietary battery, the Gigacell, which features sealing properties and a small size designed for automotive applications, is installed under the seats. SWIMO has a wide, barrier-free low-floor space. The vehicle also realizes substantial energy-savings by storing power generated at braking (regenerative electric power). The vehicle can eliminate the need for overhead line infrastructure because it runs on a battery and thus will not spoil the sight. As a result, it contributes to the establishment of vehicle system in view of railroad operators' needs. For example, the vehicle facilitates railroad operators to provide new lines and to expand the existing ones.

Now if you put like 24 of them on it, so the thing can run back and forth all day without needing a recharge, that wouldn't be too bad for short runs. At least with a small battery like that they're readily recyclable.

I think the idea is that the battery recharges at every stop, where there is a recharging station. I can't imagine it working very well otherwise.

With the stated 5 minute recharge time, on small runs it can easily be recharged at the end points during turning.

I think that this is a great idea, one that is very cool if Kawasaki wants to put some major dollars in to the test run. Who knows, since the distance is limited, they may even fund the overhead wire to show off the full demo experience. It would really be great for Kingston and the museum as a whole.

alewifebp wrote:Who knows, since the distance is limited, they may even fund the overhead wire to show off the full demo experience.

Why would Kawasaki pay for overhead wire when their test product requires none?

-otto-

Kawasaki sees the car being used in three distinct modes of operation:

Entirely under overhead power: When used on a existing system with catenary, the batteries make maximum use of the regenerating brakes increasing energy efficiency compared to conventional LRV. (An LRV without batteries may still have regenerating capability, but if no other LRV's are drawing power at the same moment on the same substation, the braking energy is still lost.) The SWIMO car can operate with other LRVs on the same line.

Mixed overhead, no overhead power: As a 'gap filler' to economically build new track segments without catenary between existing LRV lines.

No overhead power: Entirely new systems can avoid the cost of any catenary; the cost of new track construction or adapting existing non-electrified right-of-ways is lower.

It remains to be seen which of these various operating modes Kawasaki may be interested in testing if Kingston is selected.

Otto, the scenarios that n2xjk pointed out are exactly what I was thinking about. Since Kawasaki would possibly want to show off this technology in all possible operating modes, if Kingston is chosen, they could build the cat and substations as necessary to demo it in all possible operating modes. This makes it ideal when showing it off to potential customers that may have some very different needs, and the distance is short enough as to not be too costly.

n2xjk wrote:Kawasaki sees the car being used in three distinct modes of operation... It remains to be seen which of these various operating modes Kawasaki may be interested in testing if Kingston is selected.

Thanks for clearing that up! Hopefully Kingston is the benefactor of this Kawasaki project.

O-6-O wrote:I have experience with an electric Honda RAV 4 that State DOT got (from the Feds) a few years ago along with all the platitudes that go with such things.

I find this hard to believe as the RAV 4 (Rave 4 would have been a better name don't ya think) is a Toyota product.

There's been more press on the topic over the past two days since Sen. Schumer made a call to Kawasaki, but no official word yet as to Kingston's chances for selection.

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... S/90218056

KINGSTON — U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer has written the head of Kawasaki to use Kingston as the site for a test of the company’s new battery-powered trolley.

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/20 ... 676521.txt

Kingston officials hope a battery-operated train like this one will be tested on Downtown trolley tracks. Photo provided
Friday, February 20, 2009 3:06 AM EST
By PAUL KIRBY - Freeman staff
KINGSTON — A battery-operated train made by a Japanese company could be tested on city-owned trolley tracks if U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer has his way. Schumer, D-N.Y., is calling on Kawasaki Rail Car Co. Chief Executive Officer Akira Hatton to choose Kingston as the American test site for the train.