Old and New Transports
Saw a couple of ABC News items that interested me today.
The first was about the importing of compressed air cars. It seems they have zero emissions, because there's no engine as such. What you have to do though, is get to a pumping station to "pump up". They quoted a range of 140km on a charge.
It seems as well that these are being imported from overseas, though there's some company in Melbourne that's been developing the same sort of thing. The key problem (which apparently was the case in California when they had the electric cars) is having enough outlets available so that "filling up" (on compressed air) will be as convenient as going to a service station is now.
It sort of sounds like a good idea, though I can see why it wouldn't be popular with "the boys". There's a world of difference between a big V8 that's noisy and implies power, and something that for all I know, makes no noise at all! Also, I keep thinking of a Stainless Steel Rat novel I read years ago, where the police on another planet drive cars that were powered by a flywheel (they had to get it wound up at the start of the day)!
The other story was about the Hunter Valley farewells red rattler. These are the old commuter trains that go to and fro Maitland from Newcastle. Been on one, and I agree with the comment on the TV segment - noisy and uncomfortable. But, they are also a bit of local history, and they have been replaced (I hope) by something better.