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School: Oil Crisis News from Around the World • Quest 01: Oil Crisis News • Task 01: Submit your articles here
updated 2/10/2003 1:11:00 PM by Gunnar H.
Report: RENEWABLES POWERED ELECTRIC RAILWAY MATRIX
The electric railway, as basis for second dimension surface transport can be extension of existing line corridor, or part of, or expansion of, a national or regional railway matrix. Abandoned branch lines are obvious candidates for inclusion. The rationale is to effect a robust system, accessible to individuals, up to corporate goods shipping. The common gauge, standard engineering of running way, interchangeable wagons guarantees ability to be shifted to different locales when needed.

The "Oil Interregnum" is a period that should be used for thoughtful implementation of transport policy that will function handily when oil becomes too pricey to burn at individual whim. Personal vehicles will be much smaller, pooling and buses more the rule.

The genius of the railway is the proven ability to swallow and run with any type of fuel source: Wood/Coal/heavy or light petroleum products. Coming onstage with steam, the railway locomotive, smoothed & refined, is most able to continue its performance on the parallel bars with the ability to convert electricity directly to passenger & freight mobility. Railways can lessen competition for fossil fuel and thus lower demand & price of oil.

Shaky prospects for a peaceful world could be enhanced with less need for oil, particularly by the USA!

Could a modern reincarnation of the 1911 Baghdad Railway, powered with electricity from the sun, be the basis for an engineering approach to the palestine crisis? Imagine a Transit-oriented development approach to providing satisfactory amenities of life to dispossessed, hopeless people. New urban centers along a railway originally conceived as a connector to the Holy Cities of Mecca, Medina & Jerusalem would sit astride a demilitarized corridor, a UN mandate strip of territory stretching from Turkey to Yemen. Maybe the peace movement will see this.

Gunnar Henrioulle, Associate, Tahoe Valley Lines , USA


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