February 23, 2012

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Low emission trains arriving at a station near you

February 20, 2012 By

Low emissions is a phrase that’s bandied around the transport industry a lot at the moment, first sparked by the arrival of hybrid and electric vehicles in the latter part of the 1990s, when Honda and Toyota introduced the world’s first production hybrids.

We’re all familiar with the benefits of low emission cars and how important the emissions rating has become. Trains are a different proposition altogether, because if you attributed emissions to head counts, then trains are obviously doing a lot better job on being environmentally friendly than individual cars. But train technology has also advanced in recent years to reduce the amount of emissions produced by rail transport.

The development of the diesel genset locomotive has been crucial. This is where the diesel engine can switch itself off when not needed – a little like stop start technology in cars.

The actual fuel efficiency of a freight train in motion has vastly improved over the last quarter century. It’s possible for a modern locomotive to move a ton of freight over 400 miles on just one gallon of fuel. The main reason for trains being low on fuel efficiency and high on emissions is for the hours that trains spend idling, while their cargo is being loaded or unloaded in rail yards.

The genset switcher locomotives can be started as quickly as a truck, so there’s no need for them to stand idling and polluting the local atmosphere with particulates.

The development of the genset has resulted in 80% reduction of nitrous oxide and particulates, as well as reducing CO2 emissions by around 50%. This is achieved by monitoring the amount of time the engine remains idling and changing to a sleep mode when a period of inactivity has been detected.

Technology will keep making advances so that the emissions statistics of trains will drop even further as fuel efficiency rises. It’s just a question of time.

Filed Under: Train Travel, Train Travel, Transport Tagged With: , , ,

Three new Civics in the UK

January 30, 2012 By

The Civic 2012 is out now and ready for UK drivers to buy. It comes in three different versions in the UK, with a choice of two petrol engines and one diesel.

The petrol engines are a 99bhp 1.4 i-VTEC and a 142bhp 1.8 i-VTEC.  The diesel is a 150bhp 2.2 i-DTEC diesel. The diesel has an amazingly low 110g/km of CO2 and can raceh 62mph in circa 8 seconds. You can choose to have a five speed automatic transmission on the diesel, but otherwise every model in the new honda civic 2012 range comes with six speed manual transmission.

The smaller petrol engine reaches 0-62 mph in 13.4 seconds and its bigger brother reaches the same speed between 9.1 and 11.5 seconds, depending on the trim.

All the engines have increased fuel efficiency, thanks to the use of stop/start technology and that every new Civic comes with an ECON button. By pressing this, the driver instructs the on-board computer to make all systems work at their eco-friendly optimum.

Currently, Honda has no plans to bring out a hybrid version – as already exists in the States. Instead, Honda hybrid fans in the UK have their choice between the Insight, the Jazz and the CR-Z.

The exterior of the new Civic has somewhat lost out in looks compared to its predecessor which had a really sporty feel to it, but Honda has improved the visibility at the rear by lowering the spoiler that limits the view through the rear windscreen.

Inside the back seats are ‘magic seats’ which can be faced in either direction. This helps the new Civic to score highly for practicality and the boot can store 477 litres – thanks to a clever double layer storage system.

It seems that Honda has the Civic 2012 clearly pigeon-holed as a practical family hatchback as its packed full of safety features and is no longer available as a three door option.

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Business travel eco experiment

January 19, 2012 By

If you have to travel on business, and that travel necessitates the hiring of cars now and again, then why not use the opportunity to try out a few eco cars?

This can be a great way of trying without buying – whether it’s for your business or for your own personal use. The beauty of this is that it’s like an extended test drive. After a wee or so – you know infinitely more about a model than you do after a half hour test drive.

Hiring out one of the world’s most popular and most readily available hybrid cars like a Toyota Prius or a Honda Insight, for example, is very easy – and it gives you the chance to try out hybrid motoring if you’re at all nervous about it.

Overall you need to consider two basic facts here:

First off, driving a hybrid vehicle is different. The car feels different – particularly when driving up hill when the battery is taking an increased amount of the strain. For me, it feels better. But if you’re at all concerned – hire before you decide.

Secondly, we all need to accept that hybrids and electrical vehicles simply are the coming thing. The Insight already tops or is near to the top of most of the miles per gallon charts and if you’ve visited any of the world’s major motor shows over the past couple of years – you’ll undoubtedly have seen an ever increasing number of cutting edge hybrid and electrical cars on show from all the world’s major manufacturers.

And history has shown us that what appears at the motor shows always appears in the showrooms and on the streets around three to five years later. It’s the way it’s always gone.

So don’t miss the hybrid train. And hiring before buying is a great test-bed.

Filed Under: Transport Tagged With: , , , ,

Be a train driver for the day

January 3, 2012 By

The places that you can enjoy a nostalgic steam train trip are becoming few and far between these days.  One with a truly beautiful setting to travel through is the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway in the Lake District, Cumbria, England.

This branch line is approaching its 140th anniversary and is run by a group of train enthusiast volunteers and a small number of staff.

Beyond attracting the usual steam train enthusiasts and young children who love anything to do with steam railway engines because of their devotion to Thomas the Tank Engine, the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway offers something very special for the real steam train lover. You can be a steam locomotive driver for the day here – either on your own or with as many as three friends. Once you’ve booked in for a day, all you need to bring is your own overalls, boots and waterproofs. Otherwise everything is provided – including breakfast and a railway man’s lunch and hot cups of tea along the way. In all you’ll do four round trips from Haverthwaite to Lakeside and you’ll learn how to stoke the fire, and oil and clean the engine.

Of course, you’ll have to get there under your own steam (excuse the pun), and the best way to reach the Lake District is by car.  That way, you have freedom to travel where you want while you’re there, without having to fit your day around a public transport timetable.  Whatever you drive, you’ll be looking to get the best mileage with today’s inflated oil prices. The civic 2012 range is soon to be available in the UK and all the models have improved fuel efficiency.  Although drivers in the States can purchase a Civic Hybrid, the Honda Civic models in the UK do not include the hybrid. For the time being, Honda hybrid fans in the UK are restricted to a choice between the hybrid Insight, Jazz or CR-Z.

Filed Under: Transport Tagged With: , , , , ,

The evolution of transport technology

December 15, 2011 By

It’s difficult to know which has led the way in terms of technology between the car industry and the train industry.

Both have come a long way in the last hundred years. Back in the days of steam, it must have been impossible to imagine trains running without a trail of dirty black smoke behind them, yet, as we know, trains progressed to diesel and then electric power.  Now they’re being part-powered by solar power in some countries.

And cars have gone through a similar evolutionary process, too. The originals were diesel and petrol and these two fuels still dominate, of course, but almost all manufacturers now offer hybrids in their range of cars, as well as electric vehicles.  Hydrogen is just around the corner – though that corner may take another thirty years or more.

Hybrid trains do exist in Japan, using a combination of electric power and diesel engines.  They have the potential to reduce emissions by up to 80 per cent, and could also save up to 40 per cent on fuel compared to conventional diesels.   However, it’s unlikely that they will come to European tracks – as much of the network is electrified, so there are few diesel trains left in Europe. It seems that solar power has more of a future in Europe for train lines than hybrid technology.

So what’s next in the world of transport technology?  At the moment the Tokyo Motor Show is in full swing in Japan, with all kinds of green concept cars being revealed. Of particular note for inner city travel is the Honda Micro Commuter – an electric vehicle with a clever ‘loop’ auxiliary battery that powers things like the air conditioning and can be removed to power a mini electric bike for the final 100 metres to the office.

Somehow it seems unlikely that vehicles like this will signal the end of the train industry, but you never know!

Filed Under: Transport Tagged With: , , , ,

The classic – a model train for Christmas?

November 24, 2011 By

The classic of classics of all children’s toys for Christmas has to be the model train set. And if we’re being a little sexist but still realistic – it’s the classic toy for small boys (though it’s often the frustrated Station Master Dads who seem to get most out of them).

The Hornby classics are probably the most popular still, and the loft remains the male toy-town and railway preserve in many households. From painted papier-mâché tunnels, mountains, and fields to model animals, buildings, miniature cars and people, some devotees build the entire village.

You can easily spend the best part of £1,000 on a classic model Bassett Lowke steam train. As for antique collectables – there’s virtually no price limit.

The same goes for model cars.  The most expensive model car in the world was the Lamborghini Aventador; a 1:8 replica model of the original valued at €3.5 million!

Of course, you can also pick them up for just a few pence; it all depends how collectable they are. If you love a particular car or train – then the models are usually quite affordable and you can generally buy what you love without further thought – just sit back and enjoy it. But if you’re buying as an investment, it pays to do your homework.

Predicting the future classics and keeping the whole thing, packaging and all, as new is a tried and tested method for very patient people and those who want to leave something of value for their children. Basing your choice on famous movies or movie stars, or other cults of the day can also pay off.

How about a replica of Steve McQueen’s favourite off-road dirt racing bike, the Honda Elsinore, for example, or its distant cousin, the same company’s first ever sports car, the Honda S500? These could be the eminently collectible model vehicles of the future.

Just choose something you know about and love – and keep it in mint condition.

Filed Under: Train Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

InterRailing – not just for students

November 21, 2011 By

Although it may seem like people have been interRailing aroundEuropesince the railways were built, in fact it’s a relatively recent phenomenon.

It all started in 1972, with the first issue of the European InterRail pass. This was the first time that one ticket would get you train travel through a number of different European countries – making travel through Europe a realistic possibility for people on a budget.  The only catch then was that the ticket was only available to people under the age of 21, so it was really only beneficial to students.

Now the age restriction has been lifted and anyone can buy an InterRail card. The number of countries you can travel to and through has also been increased.  As the European community has grown, new member countries have been included in the InterRail network.

AnInterRailGlobalPasswill allow holders to visit 30 countries, whileEurailPassgives you access to 21 countries. One of the main benefits of travel by train is that you always arrive in the heart of the city, so you don’t have to take another form of transport to get to the main sightseeing destinations.

There are some destinations, however, that InterRail passes can’t always get you to directly. These tend to be places outside of the cities – natural beauty spots or remote monasteries and other historical monuments. If you want to reach these kinds of places, it’s best to do so under your own steam.

The easiest way to do this is by car. Rather than drive from home, you can hire a car just for the sections of your trip that you need one – it’s easy to pick up a car for a day or two, or even a week and mix and match with your InterRailing. If you’re conscious about the effect that your travels will have on the environment, it’s possible to hire hybrids or other low emission cars.

Filed Under: Train Travel, Transport Tagged With: , , ,

Solar train tunnel powers 4000 trains

October 25, 2011 By

Another milestone for solar powered transport has been reached with the opening of a two-mile solar powered train tunnel on the Paris-Amsterdam line.
The tunnel has 50,000 square metres of solar panels on its roof which will produce 3.3 Mw/hours of energy a year. That’s the equivalent to the electricity used by 1,000 households in a year. The project has cost $20 million and is the brainchild of Belgian rail infrastructure company Infrabel and clean energy company Enfinity.
The solar panels have been designed to be hardwearing so that they can withstand vibrations caused by the trains.  An added bonus is that the tunnel will protect trains below from the chance of being hit by any trees that grow alongside the track.
The power that’s produced by the solar tunnel will power both conventional and high-speed trains on the line, as well as some electrical installations in Antwerp station.  Solar power produced by the tunnel will power 4,000 trains a year and the trains will draw the power from the tunnel as they pass through at 186 mph.
Train travel has always been viewed as more eco-friendly than people using their own cars, even when the trains are powered by diesel which emits particulates and other toxic emissions as well as carbon dioxide. High-speed rail is already thought of as a green technology as it is so efficient, but using power sources such as solar energy will only serve to increase its green credentials.  Other green energy progress in European train technology includes the development of hybrid train engines and biogas powered trains.
The new tunnel should reduce CO2 emissions by 2,400 tons per year. Together with initiatives such as Honda UK launching the most affordable ever hybrid vehicle on the UK market, and thus helping increase ownership of Honda hybrid cars in the UK, the solar train tunnel helps to meet the stringent air quality directives that have been set by European Union legislation.

http://www.wrjtrainstationforsale.com/
Filed Under: Train Travel Tagged With: , ,

Energy saving trains

October 5, 2011 By

Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that transport produces is a hot topic, but people often think that this only applies to road users.  Trains are, of course, more environmentally friendly than individual cars, through their potential to carry so many more people.  However, they also produce high levels of emissions and train companies have been taking steps to reduce these.

The largest commuter rail franchise in the UK, South West Trains, has invested in a regenerative braking system for 200 trains on its network.  Much in the same way as for hybrid cars, excess kinetic energy is stored when the brakes are used. The system reduces energy used by 8%.

South West Trains is run by UK transport company Stagecoach.  Stagecoach has also other energy saving initiatives in place in other areas of its business, including introducing hybrid buses in different cities across the UK.  As well as introducing the technology to save energy, the company has also invested in training their drivers in eco-driving techniques.

Hybrid technology is developing for trains across the world. Japan is the leader, with hybrid trains already in use there. JR East, a private Japanese railway company has recently announced the introduction of ten diesel-battery hybrid railcars, which will reduce fuel consumption by 10%.  The trains will also be a lot quieter than conventional diesel engines.

In Europe train engine builders are working to fit hybrid technology into the existing spaces that engines fit into on trains, rather than redesigning the trains from scratch. MTU, a company in Germany has already developed a hybrid engine-gear package to replace the conventional motor to work alongside an electric motor.  A special gearbox is used to combine the two engines’ outputs, and the whole mechanism fits where the old engine used to fit.

Although the train industry is still behind the car industry in energy saving technology, it looks like the trains of tomorrow will definitely adopt greener technology.

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Rails Away in New Zealand

September 20, 2011 By

Many people who are considering a first visit to New Zealand might be surprised at just how limited the rail network is in the country.
Indeed the North Island, home to the capital Wellington and the largest city, Auckland, has only one proper passenger rail line.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s not an option worth exploring. The Overlander is actually a service that allows you to see the beauty of the country and visit some of the interesting towns along the way.
In terms of planning your journey, it’s important to note that there is only one service per day between Auckland and Wellington, as well as in the opposite direction. So that means that if you decide to stop off at a town along the way, you need to make plans for an overnight stay.
In New Zealand, there are a great many accommodation options, but one that appeals to thousands of visitors per year is camping. The country is spectacular, so it almost feels like a shame to be stuck in a hotel room in the middle of a city.
You can find a tent sale online where you can find cheap tents sturdy enough to last you not only the whole trip but for years to come. Staying in tents, which is often possible even quite close to town centres, gives you a real feeling of being close to nature.
If you’re traveling north to south, starting from Auckland, then one place you might want to stop off for a day is Hamilton. It’s only an hour or so out of Auckland, but is an attractive city with plenty of shopping and entertainment options.
Later on in the journey, you might decide to stay overnight in the National Park. It’s an area of outstanding beauty where you can trek during the summer or ski in the winter time.
As you travel further south, you have the chance to get off in Palmerston North, which is a pleasant town, or in Waikanae, where you can enjoy the attractive beaches.

Filed Under: Train Travel Tagged With: ,
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