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My absolute favorite! The "Krokodil/Crocodile" was introduced in 1919. Some are still in service.
About electrification, in 1928 55% of the 2900 km of SBB/CFF railway were electrified, 90% in 1946... (no coal in Switzerland). The dam of Ritom above Airolo, was build in 1920 to power the newly electrified Gothard line.

Hydropower is not always as clean as we can imagine. It's partly recycled french nuclear energy: at night, water is pumped up in the dam using cheap electricity and sold back during the day.

by Hansvon on Wed Nov 23rd, 2005 at 05:42:28 PM EST
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Side note, this method is one possibility to balance the intermittency of wind power. (Even better is to not pump anything but to regulate hydropower output - that benefits the downstream biosphere too -, and this is where the Scandinavian energy system is heading.)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Nov 24th, 2005 at 06:41:04 AM EST
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