2014•Transport Research Arena (TRA) 5th Conference: Transport Solutions from Research to DeploymentEuropean CommissionConference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR)European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC)WATERBORNEᵀᴾEuropean Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC)Institut Francais des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)Ministère de l'Écologie, du Développement Durable et de l'ÉnergieRequires access
Energy efficiency in railways: applying the lessons learned from the development of electromobility to diesel rail vehicles
Paul Batty, Roberto Palacín, Arturo González-Gil, Jonathan Peter Powell
Open publisher page 2 citations
Abstract
Hybrid diesel/petrol vehicles have numerous benefits; when used appropriately, they can recoup energy produced during the braking process and store it to be used to power the vehicle as and when necessary. This can effect notable fuel savings, whilst simultaneously reducing emissions and noise levels. While such hybrids have propagated the automotive industry, this is not the case in the rail industry. Since there are obvious benefits to using such technologies, providing guidance to the rail industry on how they can best learn from the automotive industry could lead to a greater uptake of such technologies, leading to a more efficient, environmentally friendly diesel rail vehicle fleet. Therefore, this paper assesses the current technological, political and societal situation regarding hybrid diesel rail vehicles, before investigating how the automotive industry achieved its successes, and analysing how such successes can be replicated in the rail industry.