Re: [Phys-l] [ncnaapt] another crackpot idea from the California legislative assembly

[Bernard Cleyet <bernardcleyet@redshift.com>]

On 2011, Feb 28, , at 14:37, LaMontagne, Bob wrote:

> There are some good ideas here about using rails to gain efficiency (lower the amount of wasted energy). Railroad efficiency is high because of the use of steel wheel on steel rail. The rolling resistance is extremely low. Also, accelerations are very low because the coefficient of sliding friction of steel on steel is so low. It would make no sense to try to attempt a jack rabbit start with a train because the locomotive's wheels would just spin uselessly. Trains tend to run at a single steady speed - very unlike automobiles. 


That is why the linkages between cars is so loose.  Without that the train would never run!

bc suspects the jillions of tons mass of the train also prevents jackrabbit starts.  N.B. every car has 16 brake shoes.