Re: Traction (was Re: OT: Debian Mailinglist server slow?)
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On Fri, Sep 05, 2003 at 04:53:53PM +0100, Pigeon wrote:
> > The diesel-electrics and fuel-cell busses are taller by about a foot
> > and a half due to a very large unit on the roof, but it doesn't seem
> > to be an issue since they still come in shorter than most semi's.
>
> What's in that unit - power control gear? Have they gone for a modular
> design, where you can have a diesel genset module or a fuel cell
> module and the rest is more or less the same?
More or less, yes. I have no idea what's in the rooftop unit,
though.
> Well, it does sound like they have much bigger engines than what they
> replace.
Not really, they sound like they're the identical engine. The
difference is hydraulic and manual transmissions waste serious,
serious amounts of energy. Gasoline (oppose diesel) is also a pretty
poor choice for fuel. Which is why I have to wonder: It's 2003, and
we're *still* using gasoline-mechanical and gasoline-hydraulic systems
for what reason? Lets move *on*, people! We can make traffic a mere
nuisance instead of an acute respiratory health hazard (not to mention
the US a military threat to anybody producing oil) if we just
eliminate gasoline in favor of cleaner burning diesel and/or electric
transmissions.
> In the UK, an electrically powered bicycle counts as a bicycle, not a
> moped (ie. no road tax, no insurance, no helmet etc) as long as it has
> (a) powered top speed <=15mph (b) max power <=200W (c) max weight
> <=40kg. 15mph is OK for a bicycle, but 40kg means you get really crap
> range with a lead-acid battery; a fuel cell sounds great, as long as
> it runs on methanol or some other convenient fuel rather than hydrogen.
Oh, the last thing I want to be running on is liquid fuel in general.
Liquid fuels have this fun tendancy of splashing about and catching
fire in accidents, incinerating victims slowly. Hydrogen is far, far
safer: If a fuel leak ignites, *whump*, done. No more burning. It
just flashes and it's over. Yeah, you'll get toasted and you'll
probably end up hospitalized, but it beats dying like a monk without a
cause.
> The biggest problem is that the max power of 200W is totally useless
> in hilly areas. To get a 40kg bike + rider + luggage up a 1 in 4 gradient
> fast enough to maintain balance requires about a horsepower.
Any skilled rider should be good down to 1MPH. Of course, going that
slow, why not just walk? It would be 3 to 5 times faster. 8:o)
- --
.''`. Paul Johnson <baloo@ursine.ca>
: :' :
`. `'` proud Debian admin and user
`- Debian - when you have better things to do than fix a system
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