Further to this and Michael's comment, by automating and centrally coordinating the trains you could potentially save a lot of power overall a,d also things like peak demand. Knowing what is optimum acceleration to meet timetable demands, as well as avoiding red lights can save a lot. Even by staggering acceleration periods across the network could reduce peak demand and hence restrict demand for infrastructure. (Same goes for regenerative braking).
The antithesis of this is the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_pickup phenomenon noted in the UK when the punters put on the kettle for a cuppa all at the same during sporting matches and such. Regards, Martin [email protected] On 20 October 2012 12:42, James Linder <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 20/10/2012, at 9:00 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > >> Its primary goal is safety though, not efficiency. > >> > >> I want to add a linux angle, but can't think of one. > >> > >> > > The powers-that-be-here don't even want you to know what can > > actually be achieved with Linux. > > > > In Tokyo they have a crazy robot train (crazy for a sydney person) that > > runs into town and back. Anyway, you can sit where the driver would > > normally be. > > > > It's fully automated, and therefore, without doubt consumes less power > > than having a human being driving the train. I say this because an > > industrial pc having about 5w energy consumption. > > > > No metal is needed for the drivers compartment, or aircon, so there's > > definitely an energy saving there. > > > > The trains use a Linux RTOS like QNX. Which is very popular over there. > > > > The Japanese systems are very safe. They look at it the other way > > around in that when there are deaths, it's caused by human error. Not > > the machines. I tend to agree with their perspective. > > > > The issue is about Jobs. The Japanese don't mind having 10x Linux > > Engineers in preference to 10x Train Drivers. > > > > In Sydney, sadly, they seemingly would prefer to have 10x train drivers > and > > less Linux Engineers than have the balance the other way around. > > > > The assertion is that Linux Engineers are dangerous and train-drivers > > and people that ride bicycles are not. We have to accept our backwards > > looking leaders. That's just how it is. > > It is linux and it is interesting ... > > Earthquake's generate seismic waves, the fast ones are detected and STOP > the trains before damage to infrastructure occurs and the train is hurlled > to it's doom. Cute! > > James-- > SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ > Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html > -- SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/ Subscription info and FAQs: http://slug.org.au/faq/mailinglists.html
