• @[email protected]
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    2 months ago

    Amateurs.

    The 1963 Černý Důl – Kunčice nad Labem aerial ropeway is over 8 km (5 mi) long, over 30 m high in places and carries 135 tons of limestone every hour from a quarry to the nearest train station. Its 120kW 3-phase synchronous motor requires power for a few minutes at the start and end of each day when most of the 800kg-capacity trolleys are empty, and spends most of the shift generating mains electricity and acting as a speed governor. Unlike the EV, it is fully autonomous most of the way, only 5 people are required to operate it. (Loading, unloading and timed dispatching is automatic, arriving/leaving carts just need to be checked; a safety latch has to be manually dis/engaged on trolleys passing the check.) The quarry will continue operation as long as it pays off, then the ropeway will be scrapped (projected 2033). A dude illegally rode the way up on it somewhat recently. He could have fallen to his death if he pulled the latch.

    • @[email protected]
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      142 months ago

      I wouldn’t be surprised if there are electrified railway lines doing the same. Regenerate large amounts of energy into the grid while descending loaded; consume a relatively small amount of energy to haul the empty train back uphill.

      • @[email protected]
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        2 months ago

        An early version of the Petřín ropeway in Prague used to contain tanks in both cars. The upper one would be filled with sewage collected rainwater from the city’s hilltop quarter and the energy of the descent was used to pull the other car up. Additionally, the way up cost twice as much so there was an incentive to ascend on foot, which was about as fast despite the incline.

      • @[email protected]
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        42 months ago

        I don’t know about going downhill in general, but there are some that use regenerative braking (regular braking, on flat terrain) so maybe

      • bluGill
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        -52 months ago

        Most mines are underground so for most this can’t work, but where it does they are sure to use it.

        • @[email protected]
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          32 months ago

          Regular trains don’t run underground. Lots of opencast mines exist .

          Basically all mines have an above ground terminal where whatever you mined is unloaded from your underground trains, lifts, haul trucks or whatever else onto storage piles, then loaded onto the actual long distance trains.

          If the mine entry is up a mountain, then the trip down from that point will be a net energy producer regardless of anything else.

    • @residentmarchant
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      2 months ago

      Content aside, what a great video! It’s not that old of a video but it reminds me so much of early YouTube, just friends messing around and posting it with top tier song choice.

    • @Jumi
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      42 months ago

      Damn, that shit is even hotter

      • @[email protected]
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        32 months ago

        I know, this one is shorter and has mechanical brakes. Not as great but I imagine the Czech one, one of the largest in Europe, has very few English-language sources that could have pointed it out to him. I don’t know whether the Claughton one cannot be ridden or Tom is just squeamish about safety (see description) but the Černý Důl one definitely can, that’s how they do routine inspections.