ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
Seddon noted that hybrid capability grants the benefi ts of electrifi cation where the infrastructure is in place, and eliminates the need to invest in further infrastructure where there isn’t suffi cient traffi c fl ow to justify it. Seddon highlighted the roll-out of more bi- mode trains as a great opportunity to gain energy benefi ts in a cost-effective way.
Others in the industry have questioned the value and expense of bi-mode trains, such as the IEP fl eet – for example, the weight of the diesel engine and the design compromises that must be made over a purely electric or purely diesel train.
Combining savings
Aerodynamic performance of rolling stock will be important for the introduction of high speed rail, and Seddon said improving environmental performance will have knock-on benefi cial effects in a number of areas.
Small-capacity energy storage in a hybrid train can provide acceleration boosts, and when used with a driver advisory system, can see the energy saving per cycle twice the capcity of the energy store itself.
“The combination of the two factors gives a very worthwhile saving – these can make a real impact.”
Retraction and non-traction
Re-traction of existing units is also an option, with typical savings of 15% as well as “a number of important side benefi ts” in terms of system reliability and reduced traction maintenance requirements. An often overlooked risk is the obsolescence of materials and skills for supporting 1980s technology.
He explained: “That’s a challenge that we continue to address, but is avoided if we are able to make this kind of investment.”
Non-traction energy is “a smaller piece of the pie, but important”. New technology such as smart stabling can save energy overnight whilst still having trains ready with lights and heating for passengers and drivers in the morning through remote communications controls.
This cuts depot costs when trains are in remote locations and means energy is only being used when necessary. Smart stabling is the kind of small action, like turning off the lights when you leave a room, that can add up to a large saving when carried out routinely and on a big enough scale.
Seddon said: “We can now easily control and ensure that auxiliary loads are managed actively, unnecessary loads are removed. We’re seeing signifi cant energy savings from careful focus from some of these smaller things.”
Reducing non-passenger miles
In terms of reducing non-passenger miles, better management of rolling stock can signifi cantly impact environmental
performance. This
involves minimising the need to move trains to depots for repair, for servicing intervals and for refuelling and maximising the effectiveness of the depot intervention when it is needed.
“There’s a whole number of separate, targeted interventions that nibble away at this issue of unproductive mileage,” Seddon said. “One of the key enablers of that is condition-based maintenance.
“We are seeing benefi ts in modern fl eets today across the whole of the UK in being able to understand the condition of assets and apply and execute maintenance accordingly.”
Combining a lightweight train fi tted with drivers’ advisory systems, regenerative braking, designed for low maintenance with intelligent stabling, could bring “a very signifi cant improvement for the next generation in the environmental performance of our rolling stock”, Seddon concluded.
Jon Seddon
www.bombardier.com/en/transportation FOR MORE INFORMATION
rail technology magazine Jun/Jul 13 | 81
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