successful emission reductions in yard locomotives 38% 59.8% db 12.5% 0% epa duty cycles from a...
TRANSCRIPT
Successful Emission Reductions in
Yard Locomotives
Yard Emissions Reductions
• Repower
• Slug Locomotives
• Shore Power
Norfolk Southern Repower Successes
• Georgia (GA EPD/GDOT –Grant)
– Atlanta -
• 10 GP33ECO Mother and Slug sets
• 3 SD33ECO Mother and 2 slugs
– Rome
• 1 GP33ECO Mother and Slug
– Macon
• 5 SD33ECO Mothers and 2 slugs
• Illinois (CMAP Grant)
– Chicago
• 15 GP33ECO Mothers and 3 Slugs
• Pennsylvania (SW PA Commission Grant)
– Pittsburgh
• 2 GP33ECO Mothers and slug sets
ECO Locomotive Repower
Norfolk Southern’s Juniata Shops
What Makes a Locomotive Successful?
• Emissions compliant
• Can deliver Tractive Effort and Horsepower to the Rail
– Wheel Slip
– Rapid Horsepower Changes
• Reliable
– Can withstand the railroad environment
• Coupler Slack Run
• High Availability
– Designed for 184 day maintenance cycles
– Must be designed for the “Railroad Business Model”
• Long Life – 25 to 30 years
Gensets
• Have not proven to be a reliable alternative
– Parts availability issues, performance issues, engine
durability issues, engine dealer maintenance issues….
• No longer being purchased by Class 1 Railroads
Why have Gensets Failed?
1924
First Production Loco
GE/ALCO/Ingersol Rand
1939
First Successful Production Locomotive
GM Electro-Motive Division
• It took 15 years to get the diesel locomotive to work
• Much information learned in 15 years on what make a
successful locomotive
Locomotive Wheel Slip
• When a wheel slips the
engine HP is
immediately reduced
which can lead to
smoke
• Smoke is also seen in
– Horsepower acceleration
– Engine throttle transition
1960s Era Locomotive Shown
Locomotive Wheel Slip
• Low Friction between wheel and rail
• Actual contact area between the wheel
and the rail is about the size of a
quarter
• Wheels slip – loco control backs of
power and then re-applies power
• Quick transitions that can cause
smoke
• Smoke is mitigated by an
integrated engine/locomotive
control system
The low friction between the wheel and rail makes rail
transportation fuel efficient, but it creates challenges for
locomotives pulling abilities as seen by wheel slip
Locomotive Switching – Car Kicking
Throttle Line Haul DC
Switch DC
8 16.2% 0.8%
7 3.0% 0.2%
6 3.9% 1.5%
5 3.8% 3.6%
4 4.4% 3.6%
3 5.2% 5.8%
2 6.5% 12.3%
1 6.5% 12.4%
Idle 38% 59.8%
DB 12.5% 0%
EPA Duty Cycles
• From a quick look a switcher
locomotive is rarely in Throttle
Notch 8
• REALITY – Switchers are in
throttle notch 8 for short bursts
of time
o Car Kicking
o Starting a cut of cars
• Horsepower acceleration is
critical in switching
Coupler Slack
• Coupler movement
1” between pairs
• Slack can run in at any
time
• Abrupt force on
locomotive(s)
• Can Cause engine
damage
1”
Entire train couple slack
reacts against the
locomotives
Successful Locomotive Engines
• Both EMD and GE build
engines specifically for rail
applications
• Can handle coupler slack run in
• Can support a large alternator
Coupler Slack – Engine Bearings
• Crankshaft Main
Bearings can be a
problem with coupler
slack run in
GE FDL engine shown upside down
Crankshaft Portion
Coupler Slack Mitigation
• Locomotive engines must be designed for:
– Quick Acceleration
– Coupler slack forces
• All SUCCESFUL Locomotive engines were designed
specifically for locomotive application
• Those engines that were NOT initially designed for rail
application but for industrial or generator applications
have NOT shown to be successful in locomotives
Maintainability
• Railroad specific Locomotive
Shops
• Railroad Employees
• 24/7 Coverage
• Maintenance Knowledge
• Parts Inventory
• 184 Day Maintenance Cycles
• Railroad Engine Oil
• Gensets
• Dealer Maintenance
• Not 24/7
• Proprietary maintenance
instructions
• No Parts Inventory
• 30 day Maintenance Cycles
• Non-Railroad Engine Oil
Summary of a Successful Switcher
Locomotive
• Emissions Compliance
• Engine designed and built specifically for rail service
• Integrated locomotive control System
• Capable of rapid horsepower acceleration
• Maintainability
– All Maintenance Instructions provided
– Parts Inventory
– 184 Maintenance Cycles
Locomotive Slug
• Slug - Engineless
locomotive that gets
power from a mother
locomotive
• Provides extra tractive
effort at lows speeds
• Very suitable for
switching service
• Reduces the need of
powered locomotive
where 2 locos are
needed for switching
Slug under construction at NS Juniata Shops
Locomotive Slug
Locomotive Idle Reduction – Shore Power –
Electric Engine Coolant Heater
Advantages Zero Point Emissions
Better emissions savings than
Auto Engine Start/Stop
Better Energy Savings – Up to
400 kW on a winter day
Reduces Starting Battery
issues
Disadvantages 3 Phase 480 Volt Electrical
Connection
Locomotive Idle Reduction – Shore
Power Wayside Station
Safety Ground Fault Detection
Loop Complete
Detection
Phase Imbalance
Detection
Ergonomic Less than 18 pound
force to manipulate
Disadvantage 9 Feet Rail Clearance
Requires infrastructure
Conclusions
• Successful Emissions reductions are possible through
use of repowers with railroad specific engines
• Slugs can also provide emissions savings
• Shore Power is another successful method of emissions
savings.
• Questions?