Electrical railway systems are characterized by the energy transfer from fixed installations of the railway energy supply source to the mobile consumers. Today's conventional versions are always characterized by contact-based energy transfer. In the following, the initial approach for a contactless energy transfer for standard gauge railway vehicles is set out. Building on the railway specific requirements of an energy transfer system, a first system draft is outlined. The feasibility for introducing such a contactless transmission system depends on the overall costs arising during the life cycle in comparison with conventional systems. For this reason, the costs of today's installations are considered, and related pros and cons of the alternative transmission systems are discussed. In addition, the perspectives for the introduction of contactless energy transfer are evaluated.

This paper discusses alternative propulsion systems for heavy railway vehicles. First, edge conditions such as drivers and roadblocks for the implementation of alternative propulsions in railway vehicles are discussed. For operations on a non-electrified railway route, the required main propulsion components of a battery electric multiple unit and of a fuel cell multiple unit are roughly dimensioned and economically compared with a benchmark diesel multiple unit, the BR 612 of Deutsche Bahn. The nonelectrified route from Ulm to Oberstdorf was considered as a reference route for the simulation and drivetrain layout. Our analysis finds that alternative drive concepts hold a high potential for future railway vehicles, depending on the boundary conditions.

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