ENERGY STORAGE PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR RAPID TRANSIT CARS. SYSTEM DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

When a transit rail car accelerates, it draws energy from a wayside electric power source; when it decelerates, the car must rid itself of this energy. Conventional rail cars dissipate this energy in the form of heat. This report describes a transit car propulsion system which will save much of this presently wasted energy by storing the car's kinetic energy in flywheels which are mounted below the car floor. The stored energy is then available for the subsequent acceleration of the car. Thus a significant reduction in energy usage is expected, along with a resultant reduction in subway tunnel heating. This energy storage propulsion system has been installed on two New York City subway cars and will be subjected to an extensive series of tests. This report discusses the background and design approach and describes the technical features of the Energy Storage propulsion system.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored in part by New York State Dept. of Transportation, Albany, and AiResearch Mfg. Co., Torrance, Calif.
• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority

  1700 Broadway
  New York, NY  United States  10019

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  New York State Department of Transportation

  Engineering Research and Development Bureau, 1220 Washington Avenue
  Albany, NY  United States  12232

  AiResearch Manufacturing Company

  2525 West 190th Street
  Torrance, CA  United States  90509
• Authors:
  • Raskin, D
  • Yutko, R T
• Publication Date: 1975-9

Media Info

• Pagination: 52 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternating current; Electric generators; Energy; Energy conservation; Energy storage systems; Flywheels; Gears; Kinetic energy; Motors; Propulsion; Rapid transit; Rapid transit cars; Storage batteries; Subways; Tracked vehicles; Vehicle design; Vehicle drive systems; Vehicle power plants
• Identifier Terms: New York City Transit Authority
• Uncontrolled Terms: Propulsion systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Ac generators; Gear drives; Rapid transit railways
• Subject Areas: Design; Energy; Environment; Highways; Public Transportation; Research; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00094483
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-NY-06-0006-75-1
• Contract Numbers: DOT-UT-550
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 21 1981 12:00AM