 |
Re: BNSF Now Testing Battery Locomotive - Barstow - Stockton
Author: FUD
Date: 01-05-2021 - 21:19
Nothing but a slug with a battery? In principle you're correct, But it's supposed to be a smart slug, managing its power drain and recharge according to where the cruise control computer things it is (GPS etc.). There's no power connection to the diesels, just standard MU cables.
As for where the power comes from, the charger(s) - I thought they had one in Barstow too - run on whatever the grid in their area uses (typically 25-50% renewables in California). On the road, where it's flat, it can recharge by dragging a little with the dynamics, so the other locomotives have to run maybe a notch higher than usual - so it's burning diesel fuel. Going down the hill, it recharges from dynamic braking. I'm a little worried about capacity going uphill being limited to 30-40 minutes; that doesn't sound like enough to boost a train over Tehachapi.
Sorry about sounding like a PR flack. It's just that if you want "hybrid" diesels for freight, this looks like a more practical (cost-effective is yet to be seen; batteries are still expensive) way to do it than trying to build it all into one unit.
As for where the power comes from, the charger(s) - I thought they had one in Barstow too - run on whatever the grid in their area uses (typically 25-50% renewables in California). On the road, where it's flat, it can recharge by dragging a little with the dynamics, so the other locomotives have to run maybe a notch higher than usual - so it's burning diesel fuel. Going down the hill, it recharges from dynamic braking. I'm a little worried about capacity going uphill being limited to 30-40 minutes; that doesn't sound like enough to boost a train over Tehachapi.
Sorry about sounding like a PR flack. It's just that if you want "hybrid" diesels for freight, this looks like a more practical (cost-effective is yet to be seen; batteries are still expensive) way to do it than trying to build it all into one unit.
