Energy Saver for Transit Vehicles

This paper describes how energy storage on board of railway vehicles leads to a big step in the reduction of consumed energy and opens up a vast array of new applications. Up to 30% energy savings are measured with a prototype vehicle in daily revenue service equipped with the MITRAC Energy Saver. At the same time the peak power demand from the line has been reduced drastically. With the on board energy storage an autonomous operation on tracks with partly catenary free lines becomes reality. This was successfully demonstrated with the prototype light rail vehicle driving with lowered pantograph, disconnecting the vehicle from line. Being in daily passenger operation since September 2003, the MITRAC Energy Saver has proven its reliability and technology. In addition to energy savings aspects, several further applications benefit from an on board energy storage. Hybrid light rail vehicles (Electrical and Diesel-Electrical traction) as well as diesel multiple units benefit from the “booster” effect of the energy storage. The stored energy is adding additional power to the diesel engines during acceleration with a relatively low weight impact. Finally, the energy savings of around 30% and the corresponding emission reduction should already fulfill the targets of various local and global energy saving programs set up by e.g. European Union and big railway operators.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/7p
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Paper and full conference proceedings are available on CD-ROM but the paper was not presented at the conference.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Steiner, Michael
  • Klohr, Markus
• Conference:
  • Rail Transit Conference, 2005
  • Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 2005-6-5 to 2005-6-8
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 9p
• Monograph Title: Rail Transit Conference Proceedings, 2005

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Catenaries (Railroads); Diesel electric locomotives; Energy; Energy conservation; Hybrid vehicles; Light rail vehicles; Prototypes; Railroad tracks; Storage batteries; Traction; Transit vehicle operations
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Energy; Environment; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01002142
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594155
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 14 2005 4:36PM