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Originally Posted by aaron38
I am NOT a fan of electrification. Not with power delivered externally. (If they could do batteries and fast charging at stations, that's fine).
Can't do a 3rd rail where pedestrians walk over the tracks. Metra tracks are ground level and not access controlled.
And overhead wires? Ice storms, wind storms and falling trees, no thanks.
Maybe power delivery could be inductive and buried cable. But efficiency of that is poor. Is it a net C02 reduction? Maybe not.
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Ever heard of Scandinavia? As for batteries, the tech isn't there yet and I'm not sure even if it did would make much sense considering the space needed for battery storage eats into carriage layout, as well as power to slog big heavy batteries along with the train sort of negates the benefit versus OCS after the one time capital investment and relatively limited ongoing maintenance cost is figured in. When I hear talk of battery trains I can't help but think of someone jogging with a Walkman powered by 4 size D batteries.
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Is it a net C02 reduction? Maybe not.
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Would it be a local/regional net reduction with noticeably improved particulate levels that leads to better air quality for the people of Chicagoland? Yes, I believe it would be. Would it be a net CO2 reduction writ large considering the power production is just offset to a generating station? Well that depends obviously on what type of power is used. If it's from coal fired or nuclear, then yes I'd imagine there would be a difference. Conversations like this would, and hopefully will change significantly when the country gets serious about alternative energy production.