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Re: Electrifying American Railroads - Once upon a Time...
Author: Max Wyss
Date: 03-06-2019 - 04:58
Probably the closest how electric freight railroading in the US could look like would be the LKAB operation on the Kiruna - Narvik line. That would mean one Co'Co'+Co'Co' double locomotive, rated at something like 12 MW. That should do sufficiently well for 4000 t trains at 80 km/h or so, even on 2% grades. It could be possible to work with a pusher, which could do regenerative braking at full strength when going downhill.
Or look at how freight is handled in Russia on the Transsib or BAM. Or look at heavy haul operation in South Africa (which is electrified, AFAIK)
It would mean more frequent, lighter and faster trains. And, in particular for some of the tunnels, it would mean that trains can follow each other on block distance; no more need of ventilation or such crap. More frequent trains would be a necessity to make use of regenerative power, although using industrial frequency, it should not be such an issue feeding it back to the grid.
Or look at how freight is handled in Russia on the Transsib or BAM. Or look at heavy haul operation in South Africa (which is electrified, AFAIK)
It would mean more frequent, lighter and faster trains. And, in particular for some of the tunnels, it would mean that trains can follow each other on block distance; no more need of ventilation or such crap. More frequent trains would be a necessity to make use of regenerative power, although using industrial frequency, it should not be such an issue feeding it back to the grid.
