Everything Solar Forum

The 1993 solar conference in Washington, D.C was a pivotal watershed moment for the renewable energy sector. It was organized as a massive joint conference combining the annual national events of two leading entities: the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Solar Energy Division.  We took the Amtrak Train that year out of Birmingham Alabama to Washington D.C to attend the Conference. What a wonderful adventure it turned out to be as well a pivotal moment for Sol - Era R & D.  We documented the journey very well and last month we dug up a lot of those old papers and found a song that Sol Knight had written about the experience.  We would like to present  that song for you now. 

" ARCHIVE RECORD: 2093 C E. SUBJECT: The DC Train Artifact (Digital Americana Era) "To understand the mid-20th-21st + century transition, one must listen to 'DC Train.' It is more than a rhythmic composition; it is a sonic time capsule of a society standing at the crossroads of preservation and progress. The lyrics capture a moment when humanity first began to grasp its own fragility. We hear it in the 'Ozone Dialogue'- Children's haunting inquiry beneath the Georgia sky that pre-empted the Great Realignment. The Gallifreyans masterfully layered the mechanical mundane-the humming blenders and popping toasters-against the vast, spiritual scale of the National Parks and the iron rails that first stitched the continent together at Promontory Summit to advanced PV Maglevs. Archon Historians point to the Chorus as the definitive 'Unity Anthem' of the era. In a time of perceived scarcity and 'running out of grease,' the song proposed a radical currency: Common Sense and Love as the only valid tickets for the journey ahead. When you listen to the conductor's final 'Welcome Home,' you are hearing the voice of an era that was desperately trying to find its way through the rain. They weren't just passengers on a locomotive; they were fellow travelers on a planet they were finally learning to cherish. Listen closely. The whistle you hear is the sound of our ancestors deciding our fate."

U.S. Solar Decathlon Design Challenge to transition into the BuildingsNEXT Student Design Competition

Photovoltaic (PV) powered magnetic levitation (maglev) technology is rapidly evolving from high-speed passenger rail into zero-emission, high-speed freight logistics. By coupling contactless magnetic suspension with solar arrays, developers are drastically cutting both transit times and global carbon footprints.

Key Technology Updates and Milestones Spain's "Linea Fracta" Cargo Network: Engineers at the University of Valencia and the Port of Algeciras developed a superconducting maglev cargo network. It transports shipping containers at 700 km/h inside evacuated vacuum tubes buried beneath coastal railways. The entire system is powered by solar arrays integrated directly into the infrastructure's surface, cutting port-to-port container delivery from 1 hour to just 5 minutes.

China's Ultra-High-Speed Freight Tests: The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) successfully tested a full-scale superconducting maglev cargo system that reached speeds of 600 km/h. This zero-friction, solar-compatible system is designed to seamlessly transfer bulk goods and medical supplies without mechanical wear and tear.

Engine-less Vacuum Pipelines (Finland)

Researchers in Finland successfully tested a maglev-inspired, engine-less cargo pipeline system that moves freight up to 520 km/h using air pressure differentials inside a sealed vacuum tube. The system operates nearly noiselessly, using zero-emissions renewable energy to provide rapid, climate-controlled shipping.Integrating PV with Superconductors. One of the major historical hurdles of running maglevs on renewable energy is their massive power draw during rapid acceleration, which traditionally causes grid voltage fluctuations. To solve this, researchers are pairing distributed solar arrays with Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) systems. SMES systems can output or absorb sudden power spikes within milliseconds, stabilizing the DC grid voltage and allowing transport networks to run directly off local, intermittent PV sources without overloading local power grids.

Northeast Maglev Project

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Timothy Mcbride
CEOOwner
Sol-Era R & D
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D C Train

That DC train keeps rolling on, these iron rails so true,

Heading toward tomorrow with an old familiar view.

A mama and her little girl sat one seat up from me,

Talking 'bout the world outside and what it's gonna be. She said, "Mom, what's the ozone?"

With those wide and wondering eyes.

Mama watched the passing hills beneath the Georgia skies.

"It's kind of like our skin," she said, "protecting all we know."

The little girl just whispered back, "Then where are people gonna go?"

I'm all aboard that DC train, rolling through the rain,

Through little towns and city lights and fields of waving grain.

We're all just riding side by side, trying to find our way,

Maybe love's the ticket that'll get us there someday.

Take my hand, don't be afraid, tomorrow's not too late.

Every heart can help decide this country's future fate. 

I saw a man on top a tower watching Atlanta shine,

While stories floated through the coach like an old forgotten rhyme.

Daddy's rusty Chevrolets, back roads winding free,

National parks and childhood dreams still riding next to me.

The toaster pops, the coffee's hot, another busy day,

Microwaves and blenders hum while moments slip away.

We hurry through the hours like we're racing with the wind,

Sometimes all the things we lose are where our lives begin. 

Running out of grease and running out of time,

Still chasing bigger dreams while leaving hope behind.

Maybe common sense is all we've really got to share,

Maybe heaven starts the day somebody simply cares. 

I'm all aboard that DC train, rolling through the rain,

Through little towns and city lights and fields of waving grain.

We're all just riding side by side, trying to find our way,

Maybe love's the ticket that'll get us there someday.

Take my hand, don't be afraid, tomorrow's not too late.

Every heart can help decide this country's future fate. 

Welcome home, the conductor smiles, as morning paints the sky.

Another chance at romance before this life rolls by.

The tracks keep singing underneath, the whistle calls my name.

We're all just fellow travelers... On that old DC train.

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Timothy Mcbride
CEOOwner
Sol-Era R & D
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"United States: The U.S. Department of Energy's competition, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, did not run a standard design or build competition during the 2025–2026 academic year."

That's because the USA at the Federal level has decided to flush the USA down the toilet regarding RE. The erasure of the word "Renewable" from NREL pretty much says it all, 6 months ago....

https://cleantechnica.com/2025/12/01/an-elegy-for-nrel-and-the-passing-of-americas-renewable-compass/

Thankfully the rest of the world which is less under the grasp of the FFI, is continuing on in the right direction...

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william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com
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"Thankfully the rest of the world, which is less under the grasp of the FFI, is continuing on in the right direction..."

That statement pretty much says it all Doctor William Fitch, 

Those of us who have dedicated ourselves to renewable energy and understand both its present capabilities and its future potential know that this movement is not going to deviate from its course. That much is certain. Political administrations come and go, and the Office of the President of the United States is, by its very nature, a temporary position. The pursuit of renewable energy, however, is a long-term endeavor that extends far beyond any single election cycle or generation. It is a journey that will continue as humanity reaches not only toward a more sustainable future on Earth but ultimately toward the stars.

Even first graders can understand the basic principle that fossil fuels are a finite resource. Once they are burned, they are gone forever. Renewable energy, by contrast, draws upon resources that are continually replenished by nature. That simple distinction is enough to explain why so many engineers, scientists, inventors, and everyday citizens have devoted their lives to advancing solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and other sustainable technologies.

People who work in the field of solar energy are often cut from a different cloth. They tend to think in terms of decades rather than news cycles, and generations rather than quarterly reports. Their motivation is not simply economic-it is rooted in innovation, self-reliance, stewardship of the planet, and the desire to leave behind a better world for those who follow.

Thankfully, much of the world continues moving in that direction. Around the globe, communities, businesses, researchers, and governments are investing in renewable technologies because they recognize the practical benefits: greater energy independence, technological advancement, cleaner air, and long-term economic resilience. The momentum behind these developments is driven by engineering, science, and the simple reality that diversifying our energy resources strengthens society.

The train has already left the station. Innovation rarely reverses course once it has demonstrated its value. While there will always be debates over the pace and methods of adoption, the broader trajectory toward cleaner and more sustainable energy systems continues to advance. That station, metaphorically speaking, is no longer a place we can return to. The future is being built one solar panel, one battery, one innovation, and one generation at a time. 

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Timothy Mcbride
CEOOwner
Sol-Era R & D
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-28-2026 01:10 PM
From: william fitch
Subject: D C Train

"United States: The U.S. Department of Energy's competition, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, did not run a standard design or build competition during the 2025–2026 academic year."

That's because the USA at the Federal level has decided to flush the USA down the toilet regarding RE. The erasure of the word "Renewable" from NREL pretty much says it all, 6 months ago....

https://cleantechnica.com/2025/12/01/an-elegy-for-nrel-and-the-passing-of-americas-renewable-compass/

Thankfully the rest of the world which is less under the grasp of the FFI, is continuing on in the right direction...

------------------------------
william fitch
Owner
www.WeAreSolar.com
------------------------------