taking an EV from Denver, CO to Emeryville, CA

[daveo4EV]

EV drive trains are so smooth and powerful - taking a Diesel Locomotive (Diesel generators power a super powerful super smooth EV motor) to move the train - the scenery out of Denver, CO is spectacular and well worth the tirp…speeds vary from 15 mph to 70 mph and the train transitions between those speed effortlessly - something all Taycan owners are familiar with and can experience for themselves all the time when driving…

it's not a pure EV drive train - but a hybrid drive train - but has decades of demonstrable power, efficiency, and pure smoothness…

I will say so far the charging stops are quick fast - which is advantage Hybrid - and much more reliable than Electrify America

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[thecoloradokid]

I have taken Zephyr from Denver to Grand Junction - it is a gorgeous ride. Hopefully you can secure a spot in the viewing car when you go up to Moffat Tunnel or down the back side of the divide. Going through Glenwood Canyon in the viewing car is a must as well.

If you are anything like me I hope you also got your self a room with a bed on the train!

Enjoy the voyage!

 

[notsofast]

it's not a pure EV drive train - but a hybrid drive train - but has decades of demonstrable power, efficiency, and pure smoothness…

I don't know about the smoothness, the throttle on a typical diesel locomotive only has 8 notches. Imagine driving a Taycan with a go-pedal like that

 

[daveo4EV]

not an 800v system

 

[daveo4EV]

4280 horse power - two of these pulling us - kinda puts 800-1200 HP high performance EV's in perspective - 1/4 of a locomotive - OMG

 

[thecoloradokid]

looks like you are grabbing pictures at different stops! Found the manufacture data in Grand Junction?!

 

[OTPSkipper]

What’s the torque???!!!

 

[daveo4EV]

looks like you are grabbing pictures at different stops! Found the manufacture data in Grand Junction?!

they keep a rather tight schedule at the stops - grand junction was 10 min stop - had time to walk to the locomotives and found the sticker - thought it would be interesting for some stats - HP is impressive - there are two of these GE monsters pulling us…they don't seem to be working that hard - on some of the straight sections in/out of Grand Junction we were doing 78-80 mph - suspension is a little Tesla like, and less Taycan like above 70 mph…however mostly we're below 65 mph - so ride is pretty quiet and smooth - but the springs on the passenger train cars are clearly taxed with side to side movement at 70+ mph.

 

[daveo4EV]

this link is informative

https://trainstation.fandom.com/wiki/GE_P42DC_Double

apparently on board geneators can provide 800 kW of power - or the ability to run two 350 kW EA stations

I don't think the car community fully appreciates the sort of high end power in these Taycan/Plaid/Model 3/Y/eTron and Fast DC chargers - the sort of power being brought to bear on a consumer road car than can drive 250 miles and charge in 22 min is locomotive class power/hp/kW's - this sort of stuff is being comercialized and scaled down to 4,100 lbs curb weight vehicles and leveraging infrastructures that previously industrial grade sh*t…

amazing power on this locomotive, but my Taycan has like a 1/4 the same stats - I can't wait to see where this EV stuff is in 10 years after relentless incremental improvement.

 

[daveo4EV]

https://corpo.viarail.ca/en/projects-infrastructure/train-fleet/locomotives-p42dc

efficiency numbers are impressive - further proves the point that commerical grade consumption of fossil fuels is way more efficient than individual auto's in terms of cost per mile or cost per-person - this why even if the electrical grid is still fossil fuel based EV's "win" - cause it's more efficient to consume fossil fuels to make kWh's than it is to make gasoline and then explode it in cylinders w/pistons to move something.…and we can use more than just fossil fuel to make electricity

basically EV's bring commerical grade efficiencies - the best in the world we humans have come up with - to daily personal transportation - really quite remarkable in my opinion.

personal ICE's are just such an expensive luxury when it comes to efficiency on the macro scale with regards to fossil fuels - I can imagine big savings if we get move EV's freeing up existing fossil fuel capacity to be used better and more targeted…at least that would be my hope.

 

[thecoloradokid]

they keep a rather tight schedule at the stops - grand junction was 10 min stop - had time to walk to the locomotives and found the sticker - thought it would be interesting for some stats - HP is impressive - there are two of these GE monsters pulling us…they don't seem to be working that hard - on some of the straight sections in/out of Grand Junction we were doing 78-80 mph - suspension is a little Tesla like, and less Taycan like above 70 mph…however mostly we're below 65 mph - so ride is pretty quiet and smooth - but the springs on the passenger train cars are clearly taxed with side to side movement at 70+ mph.

Seems like you are on schedule so far - which is rare for the Zephyr since there is a fair amount of freight traffic on that line.

The beauty of rail travel, in my opinion, is that it gives you time to think and contemplate "the big picture" since you don't have many distractions. Essentially, you are marking time until the next stop, the next meal, or when it is time to sleep. From the last couple of posts, it seems like you have reached that mental point!

Safe travels

 

[daveo4EV]

having fun- thanks @thecoloradokid - yeah we're relaxing - thinking and enjoying the sites while we have light - we are just pulling in to green river as I write this - not quite stopped yet - too short a stop to even hop off the train for quick walk...

 

[daveo4EV]

I'm rocking a GoPro in time lapse mode - will post links when done - entire 28 hour trip should be a 2 or 3 min watch when posted - hopefully entertaining…I personally love time-lapse videos.

 

[thecoloradokid]

Green River! I have stopped there a fair number of times to charge either my Tesla's in the past, my old e-Tron, and now my Taycan. Not a lot going on out there in central Utah.

One more thing for you to ponder since you have another day on the train. How will future battery powered locomotives like the

https://www.wabteccorp.com/locomotive/alternative-fuel-locomotives/flxdrive

compare to a current diesel in terms of horsepower, torque, hauling capabilities, and cost to operate? The technology is being tested now, but will it catch on?

I am too distracted following the Atlantic crossing of my CT4s right now, so putting this one in your court!!

 

[cometguy]

I'm rocking a GoPro in time lapse mode - will post links when done - entire 28 hour trip should be a 2 or 3 min watch when posted - hopefully entertaining…I personally love time-lapse videos.

Dave, did you ever post your video?

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