A goods train would cause problems, however, with streamlining and
positioning of the solar panels, unless the carriages opened in a sort
of clamshell-arrangement to accommodate modules for containers etc, or
had hinged roofs for grain or coal wagons.
And, of course there is the obvious problem of night trains (no sun).
The only way I can think of around this - and I'm not an engineer so
my ideas are probably impractical in the extreme - is for energy
collected in the daytime to be stored in flywheels or batteries.
But the idea does seem attractive for Australia.
Roy Wilke
On Fri, 3 Oct 1997 13:21:10 +1000, "Slammer" <cah07@uow.edu.au> wrote:
>Peter Berrett wrote in article <60flr2$sgn@news.tbsa.com.au>...
>>Hi all
>>I have just been reading about another Solar Car challenge that has been
>>anounced similar to the Darwin to Adelaide variety. This got me thinking...
>>has anybody ever thought about or more importantly BUILT a solar powered
>>train.
>>The beauty of a solar powered train, unlike a solar car is the extended
>>length that one can give to the train. Imagine several "cars" whose sole
>>purpose is the generation of electricity to drive the passenger/motor car
>at the front. Some solar vehicles have reached quite respectable speeds on the
>>road but power generation is limited by the length of the vehicle.
>>Imagine if one removed the driver and lenthened the car so that it was
>10-15 metres long with little more that a light chassis, wheels, brakes and flat,
>>low to the ground solar panels.The wieght of the solar panels would keep
>teh wheels on the track.
>>The main idea of these cars is to generate power so they are as light as
>>practically possible with weight devoted primarily to solar panels.
>>Such a car could provide sufficient power for its own propulsion with some
>>to spare. With several of these solar generating cars linked considerable
>>power could be generated such that the train could propel itself at quite high
>>speed and with sufficient power to also propel the lead car which would
>>house the motor and driver.
>>Now I'm not suggesting that this could have any practical use but it would
>>be interesting to see a solar train built.
>>Has it been done before?
>>cheers Peter