Re: [Vicrail-News] new rail gauge for victoria,

I have no knowledge of any proposal - which sounds like pure
speculation to me.

But in answer the other part of the question, yes the non-contact
power transfer technology is available - but at modest current levels
at present. The technology has been developed and uses a high
frequency conductor near the vehicle which then picks up the current
by induction. It is already operating in materials handling
applications and with further development is likely to be applied for
heavier currents in the future.

Professor John Boyes at Univ of Auckland has pioneered much of this
work and is collaborating with US and other developers.

Bruce

--- In TramsDownUnder@y..., Michael Walker <wk@c...> wrote:

On MMMs Buttscuttling (a local radio station competition where

people ring

in with gossip in the hope of winning a prize) this morning, someone
claiming to work for the 'local' company which builds / installs

the tram

tracks in Melbourne claimed that between now and the Commonwealth

Games in

2006, all the overhead tram lines would be removed and the power

provided

from an on ground system. He was pretty vague about the on ground

system and

the implication seemed to be that the power would be provided

similarly to a

model train ie power in one track and earth on the other. He

claimed all new

track laid recently had the capability for the 'new system' built

in.

It sounds like a load of crap to me although he won the $500 prize.

My

questions to the more knowledgeable people are:

1. Is there any truth in it? Are there plans to remove the overhead

wire?

2. For interest sake, what are methods other than overhead wire of

powering

trams?

Some obvious ones I thought of were the battery trams, diesel

engine powered

trams, a conduit underground with the power and I think there is

some system

with studs in the road. Any others? I haven't included the model

train

system for the obvious reason it probably woldn't be practical from

a safety

viewpoint (750V DC anyone...)

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