By Ian Sherr

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Spike Narayan watched a Tesla electric sports car rocket from zero to 60 mph (100 kph) in less than four seconds and knew batteries would be the next big thing.

“It’s hard to understand you’re not in a gas powered Porsche,” Narayan said as he recalled the demonstration outside IBM’s Almaden Research Center in the heart of Silicon Valley.

“Your head snaps back from the speed.”

The vision underscored the importance of battery power to Narayan and other IBM researchers who led a future-of-batteries conference that ended Thursday at the center.

(more…)

By Ian Sherr

CHICAGO (Reuters) – ANALYSIS – Major U.S. freight railroads and their advocates have argued for years that government investment is needed in the country’s rail system to take freight off congested highways and keep the economy moving.

But supporters say rail investments have been largely ignored by Congress, suggesting political support is lacking, despite warnings action must be taken sooner rather than later.

“We’re in a growing crisis in terms of investment,” Republican Congressman Tom Petri of Wisconsin, who is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said in an interview. “Any serious country needs to take a long-term perspective and make reasoned investments in its future.”

But many rail analysts are skeptical government will act.

(more…)