Byron Bay Railroad Company puts all-solar train on track
Australia now got a solar train that shuttles sunbathers between Sunrise Beach and Byron Beach for free. Refurbished by the Byron Bay Railroad Company, the train sits a 100 people with room left for surfboards and more.
The Byron Bay Railroad Company says it may be a first, a purely solar-powered train with an on-board battery that supplies all systems. The whole roof of the 1949 NSW train is fitted with solar panels and an electric drive replaces the diesel engines but other parts of the project saw restoration rather than retrofitting.
Byron restored a three-kilometre of a railway line and bridge that span between North Beach Station in Sunrise Beach and the Byron Beach platform. Beachgoers and their gear will be carried for free and there is capacity for 100 seated and additional standing passengers.
The 6.5 kW solar panels charge the battery but should there ever be a day without sunshine Down Under, Enova Energy stands ready to charge it with renewable energy from the grid. And just in case, there is an old diesel engine still on board but it mainly serves to balance weight.
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