View Single Post
Old 09-09-2017, 12:07 AM   #312 (permalink)
freebeard
Master EcoModder
 
freebeard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: northwest of normal
Posts: 27,658
Thanks: 7,765
Thanked 8,575 Times in 7,061 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xist
How expensive and efficient is that?

I imagine those two have a strong correlation.
It depends. The demonstrator is a re-purposed freight line in Nevada with IIRC a 6% grade. Any location with a big elevation change, like Oregon City, OR, could install a narrow-gauge rack railroad or possibly a cable car system.

One complication is the hot rail. Supposedly better than pumped hydraulic storage.

The nice thing about molten salts is passing the phase change temperature each way.
 
The Following User Says Thank You to freebeard For This Useful Post:
Xist (09-09-2017)