• GamingChairModel@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    I don’t read it as magical energy created out of nothing, but I do read it as “free” energy that would exist whether this regeneration system is used or not, that would otherwise be lost as heat.

    With or without regenerative braking, the train system is still going to accelerate stopped trains up to operational speed, then slow them down to a stop, at regular intervals throughout the whole train system. Tapping into that existing energy is basically free energy at that point.

    • JasonDJ@lemmy.zip
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      1 hour ago

      Only because of the speed of the train. Fuel spent accelerating to later brake is wasted fuel. More efficient would be spending only enough fuel to come to a full stop without braking.