[sdiy] OT: Generator?

[Reverend djbluE (Chromatest)]

Tony Allgood wrote:
> 
> >Of course if you were really clever you'd feed the current to a motor
> connected to a large flywheel and spin it up. Then on your way uphill
> again you'd switch things around and use the motor as a generator.
> 
> In the UK, and I guess many other electrical railway systems, a system
> of regenerative braking is also used. Any generated electricity from one
> locomotive is fed back into the supply grid to power other engines on
> the line. (also used in battery operated vehicles too to recharge the
> batteries).

throughout this thread, I've been wondering why locomotive engines in
america don't do this... (regenerative braking).  AFAIK, even though
trains are diesel in america, the diesel powers generators and the
locomotion is created by big electric motors (don't ask me why!), so
it makes sense to me to use regenerative braking, unless of course,
there aren't any batteries, just the generators to the motors (through
a controller or two no doubt)
-ben