emersonbiggins wrote:Let's assume for a second that it is entirely possible to run a nationwide fleet of automobiles on electric batteries. Basically, switch out our current ICE models for electric ones. Would our mounting transportation crisis be solved? Would it allow the continued expansion of suburbia unabated, petroleum-laden crops notwithstanding? Could it allow the continuation of the 'entitlement' mindset, with consumer-driven madness now brought to you in electric-car form? I'm assuming, of course, that the cars would have to run on batteries charged overnight when the electrical grid is not near peak demand. It would seem to allow for better management of electric while it's "in the grid", allowing for a constant, steady demand rather than peaks and valleys. -OR- should be implement electric railways instead? -OR- both? I tend to think in terms of reimplementing rail as it provides a way for our nation to prioritize progress around things that matter, like community, versus our current never-ending quest to 'Keep up with the Joneses'.
Moving people over to public transit is much harder than it seems. Europe has retained much of it's public transit due largely to the fact that most of the member countries have very high levels of urbanization (unlike most of the US.) The US should not be compared to EU countries in this regard. The USA is more like Australia, Canada, etc. Looking at both of those countries and you see much of the same dependence on personal transport.
smiley wrote:I think this shouldn't be a problem. Many of those small towns just exist by the grace of the road running though it. It is the road who provides them a source of existence, it is not their existence which justifies the road going there. When the road is gone they will move somewhere else to make a living. The function of the road will be taken over by the train stations, like it used to be 50-100 years back.
Russia is not exactly one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Yet they rely heavily on their rail system. Around it you see whole microeconomies evolve which feed on the trains and their passengers
gg3 wrote:...
The one serious problem I see for rail in urban settings is that tracks embedded in the street are a huge hazard for people on bicycles and small scooters. Anyone have a solution for that?
gg3 wrote:The one serious problem I see for rail in urban settings is that tracks embedded in the street are a huge hazard for people on bicycles and small scooters.
Let's assume for a second that it is entirely possible to run a nationwide fleet of automobiles on electric batteries.
Basically, switch out our current ICE models for electric ones. Would our mounting transportation crisis be solved?
Would it allow the continued expansion of suburbia unabated, petroleum-laden crops notwithstanding?
Could it allow the continuation of the 'entitlement' mindset, with consumer-driven madness now brought to you in electric-car form?
I'm assuming, of course, that the cars would have to run on batteries charged overnight when the electrical grid is not near peak demand. It would seem to allow for better management of electric while it's "in the grid", allowing for a constant, steady demand rather than peaks and valleys. -OR- should we implement electric railways instead? -OR- both?
I tend to think in terms of reimplementing rail as it provides a way for our nation to prioritize progress around things that matter, like community, versus our current individualistic mindset of 'keeping up with the Joneses'.
One has to take into account the manufacturing, and maintenance, of electric vehicles.
Remember, the world is more than just the US, and the world demand for autos is growing! The construction and maintenance of hundreds of millions, maybe upwards to a billion (worldwide, over the transition period), small electric vehicles will consume a large amount of petroleum based products.
Don't get me wrong - I like driving a car that is designed for the driving experience (like a good european sports sedan.) However, it makes much more sense for the world at large to move large quantities of people by rail.
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