I spent the whole month of November in Australia.
Among the many places I visited there was Byron Bay, where a group of volounteers
has refurbished two 1950's railcars and converted them to solar power.
The two aluminum NSWGR class 600 railcar were stripped of one of the two diesel engines (one staid as backup) and fitted with electric motor, batteries, roof solar panels and converters to make the first solar powered train in the world.
The Byron Bay Solar Train company also leased and refurbished 3km of the inactive Casino - Murwillumbah line from Byron Bay main beach to the North beach and buit two 'stations' at each end.
I took a return trip in the train with the first ride spent in the cab, chatting with the train driver and watching tens of huge lizards lazily basking on the rail, fleeing just centimeter before the train arrived.
The way back I enjoied the quite ride in the decor of 50's
I wish this example of virtuous recovery could be follow around the world. There are many railcars with old, difficult to maintain diesel engines that would benefit of a solar-electric conversion.
