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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Jan 5, 2021 12:50:00 GMT -8
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Post by Artur on Jan 5, 2021 13:36:41 GMT -8
That's pretty cool
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Post by amtrakfl9 on Jan 5, 2021 13:45:47 GMT -8
It's a B unit only in the sense that it is most effective use is as a regenerative braking sink (e.g. soaking up dynamics from other units). It is capable of leading and of operating on its own if you charge it like a Tesla.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 5, 2021 13:51:32 GMT -8
What I didn't see was that the traction motors of the diesel powered units also dump THEIR regenerative power into the batteries.
Ah, well. It's only the first one. Maybe the -2 will have that.
Ed
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Post by nsc39d8 on Jan 5, 2021 14:29:35 GMT -8
It's not quite the first. NS partnered with a university in Pennsylvannia to develop a battery powered loco, ended up being 999. Sold in the last year as a failure experiment. I think it could not generate enough power to even do small switching jobs for an entire shift. www.nsdash9.com/rosters/999.htmlIt would be nice if this project does work out. |
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Post by Christian on Jan 5, 2021 15:21:13 GMT -8
The New York Central ran 40 battery locomotives on the West Side Line in NYC for decades. They were tri powered, oil (diesel that didn't sound German) electric and battery. When the batteries weren't in use they were charged from the oil or electric power.
Certainly not the scale of use anticipated by the battery locomotives mentioned above.
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Post by mdvle on Jan 5, 2021 15:36:54 GMT -8
Reading the article, watching the video, it is clear current battery technology is not up to the needs of an all-electric loco.
Yes, it can operate electric only - in a yard.
The telling point is the fuel savings - 10% to 15% - for the 3 unit consist. If the battery unit was truly equivalent to a diesel then the savings should have been 33% to reflect 2 diesel 1 battery.
As for a model, doubt it viable even as a brass import. Best bet would be to look for someone offering a 3D print of the shell.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 5, 2021 16:37:48 GMT -8
Where this thing does have a chance is as a short-term booster. It is not a true locomotive.
In this usage, the unit is not used on the flats. When you hit a hill, you can then use the extra boost it can supply. When you go back down the hill, lots of the expended battery power is refilled.
It just might work.
Ed
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Post by mdvle on Jan 5, 2021 16:51:18 GMT -8
Alternately, even on the flats it could be useful - providing the boost (and hence less diesel fuel) to accelerate the train and recharge when slowing the train.
All depends on the typical performance of the train and how much it needs to start/stop or slow/speed up.
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Post by cp6027 on Jan 5, 2021 17:29:13 GMT -8
What I didn't see was that the traction motors of the diesel powered units also dump THEIR regenerative power into the batteries. Ah, well. It's only the first one. Maybe the -2 will have that. Ed That's correct and it is set up that way by design so that the BEL can operate with any locomotive consist. This provides a lot more flexibility and avoids the need to equip a pool of conventional diesel-electrics with the necessary electrical bus and cable connections (like on master/mother units tied to slugs) to pass regenerated power into the BEL storage batteries. From what I understand, for typical mainline duty cycles, the traction motors on the BEL alone are enough to saturate its battery system; bringing in the regenerated power from multiple units would overwhelm the BEL. The BEL does incur a train length penalty on trains and corridors where that is an issue. Also, whenever the BEL is not running off its battery power and the train is not in braking, the BEL is dead weight creating additional train resistance at the expense of additional fuel/emissions from the diesels in the consist. The trick is in the ability of the BEL energy management system to develop a plan for the particular train and route that results in a duty cycle where this extra fuel is more than offset by the fuel savings when the BEL is in traction mode (on upgrades or when accelerating as stated above). |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 5, 2021 18:11:57 GMT -8
...for typical mainline duty cycles, the traction motors on the BEL alone are enough to saturate its battery system; bringing in the regenerated power from multiple units would overwhelm the BEL. The traction motors on the BEL can only input electricity to the batteries in a braking mode. It's kind of hard to believe the train will be in braking mode that much of the time. Especially on the flats of the California Central Valley. I look forward to hearing about the operational testing. Ed |
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Post by lvrr325 on Jan 5, 2021 19:55:32 GMT -8
Looks like a conversion project from your choice existing model of the newest GE/Wabtec diesel.
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Post by amtrakfl9 on Jan 6, 2021 5:06:46 GMT -8
It's not quite the first. NS partnered with a university in Pennsylvannia to develop a battery powered loco, ended up being 999. Sold in the last year as a failure experiment. I think it could not generate enough power to even do small switching jobs for an entire shift. www.nsdash9.com/rosters/999.htmlIt would be nice if this project does work out. 999 was sold to another owner and is now once again in service for a customer. Not strictly a failure. |
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Post by nsc39d8 on Jan 6, 2021 6:00:59 GMT -8
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Post by stevef45 on Jan 8, 2021 6:36:08 GMT -8
curious if they could run this unit as a single unit only. not diesel unit's mu'd to it.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 8, 2021 7:40:36 GMT -8
curious if they could run this unit as a single unit only. not diesel unit's mu'd to it. They likely can. For hostling, if for no other reason. And if they can do that, they can couple on a couple of cars and shove them around. But it does not seem to store enough power in its batteries to be useful on the main line, by itself. Ed |
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