UK Rail and Trains

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Mex

Will new battery-powered trains replace diesel, and are they safe? (www.bbc.com)

submitted 1 week ago by Mex to c/rail

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[–] jabjoe 1 points 2 days ago (9 children)

I've not found stats on how hard it is to put on when compared. I'm sure it significantly more, but 100 seams way too much. Tank of fuel burns well. It's got more energy than the battery.

[–] HumanPenguin 1 points 2 days ago (3 children)

PS don't get me wrong. I am in no way opposed to EVs. I just know a fair bit about li batts having had to build my own for my boat.

My comment was a comparison between trained train engineers maintaining batts on a train.

And home mechanics trying to fix cars at home. The risk levels involved. Not the advantages of ice vs ev.

It is just very important for folks to know EV bats and modern lion batts are very different to the tech we know. And need electronic protection to prevent charging fires. But can start runaway reactions when damaged in a crash.

[–] jabjoe 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

There is a lot of anti-EV FUD out there.

I work a bit with EVs and we are an all EV family. A colleague of mine built a house battery out of two crash hybrid batteries. I'm a big believer in right to repair (and open source). I don't think EV should be different. Car manufacturers are always looking for excuses to lock out independent repairs.

[–] HumanPenguin 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Agreed. It was a comparison of risk. Running trains maintained by professionals with these batteries is safer than allowing home repair.

It was not a suggestion that home repair should not happen. Just that the risks need to be understood. And trying to argue against Electric trains when we already have folks repairing their own cars is sorta dumb.

FUD exists. But there is also genuine danger in the batteries if charging protection is removed (or not fitted with homemade or some Chinese scooters etc). Or the batteries get punchered in an accident.

[–] jabjoe 3 points 1 day ago

I don't think we are really disagreeing. I agree people have to take batteries seriously. Same with anything with a lot of energy in a small space.

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