This paper presents alternative design approaches and challenges related to methods for the conservation of electrical energy for Transportation Systems. The propulsion designs of traditional transportation systems did not originally include energy conservation as part of their basic design philosophy. These propulsion systems were not designed to conserve electrical power consumption by recapturing the energy stored in the train's moving mass. Therefore the energy consumed from the electric utility during accelerations and stored in the moving mass of the trains in the form of kinetic energy was simply dissipated as heat by either friction or electrical resistance braking during decelerations. The current generation of propulsion systems are being designed with the capability to re-capture the train's kinetic energy and convert it back into electrical energy. This recovered electrical energy can then be made available for use by the train's auxiliary electrical systems, other trains, stored for later reuse, or transferred back into the electric utility power feeds. The end result of this reuse of energy is reduced electric utility costs, and reduced brake system maintenance costs as well as a decrease in the amount of harmful chemicals released into the environment in the form of brake dust.
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