Like systems used in electric vehicles like the Prius, an energy company think it could attach flywheels to subway trains and use the kinetic energy of their movement to generate energy that would feed back into the system.
Subway trains use a significant amount of energy to get going, up to 4 megawatts, writes Timon Singh:
"That's enough energy to power 1,300 average U.S. homes. The power usage is so great that train departures are staggered in order to accomdate the availability of power."
Vykon, the company developing the flywheels, thinks it can generate up to 4 megawatts from the subway's kinetic energy and send it back into the system.
San Francisco Muni Sees Highest Ridership Since Start of Pandemic
The SFMTA is improving service at off-peak hours and on weekends to accommodate new travel patterns that rely less on weekday commuters. Ridership has increased accordingly.
D.C. Leads the Nation for Transit Recovery
Ridership on the region’s rail systems is rebounding faster than other major transit systems.
Subway Ridership Still Lagging as Cities Come Back to Life
While other aspects of urban life are starting to recover to pre-pandemic ‘normals,’ ridership on the nation’s subway systems is still well below average levels.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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