Railworks America

No, our friends at Jointed Rail and Searchlight Simulations have not created a new SD40-2 addon for the holiday season however the folks at Progress Rail have which is 100% battery powered and has been in the testing stage further to the video link below. It is a interesting look at what is to come with the gruelling environmental requirements which are coming down in many states and provinces across North America in the near future, in this case California where this unit has been tested around the Port on a local shortline there for sometime now.

https://youtu.be/Ib7tn_x5BnQ

More stupid virtue signalling doing nothing for the environment. I just don't know how we can be so dern dumb.

You're right, Buzz. Here in South Carolina we are currently building a huge factory that manufactures batteries for electric vehicles across the street from a 4A high school. I fear what will happen when those lethal chemicals and hazardous materials get into the water table.

Not just virtue signaling. It is being mandated by the government and It has proven to save on fuel and maintenance costs. Cutting costs leads to more profitability and monies that can be spent on infrastructure as well as distributed to shareholders. It's here to stay where it is a practical solution and certainly cheaper than electrifying an existing line. Railroads must stay competitive with other forms of goods transportation if they are to be viable.

The mere fact that it is mandated by the Government is proof that it's not practical or it wouldn't have to be mandated. Further just where do you think the electricity to charge this boondoggle comes from? How much energy does it take to mine the materials and build these huge batteries?
Further look at how much fuel it takes to move a pound of freight by rail versus any other method of transportation and this is the last thing they need to be worrying about.

buzz456 wrote:The mere fact that it is mandated by the Government is proof that it's not practical or it wouldn't have to be mandated. Further just where do you think the electricity to charge this boondoggle comes from? How much energy does it take to mine the materials and build these huge batteries?
Further look at how much fuel it takes to move a pound of freight by rail versus any other method of transportation and this is the last thing they need to be worrying about.

I have no disagreement with your views. The hidden costs in additional emissions is huge to put this green energy program in place and consider that a lot of the raw materials come from 3rd world countries. Compliance to regulations however, is not negotiable, it must be done in the best way possible. The only other option is to change the political climate and therefore the the rules. He who owns the game makes the rules.
I would submit that this discussion has gone a bit off topic.

buzz456 wrote:Further look at how much fuel it takes to move a pound of freight by rail versus any other method of transportation and this is the last thing they need to be worrying about.

From what I understand, rail is the second most efficient means of moving one ton of freight per mile, only surpassed by water barges. Airplanes is the least efficient with trucks in a close second.

As I see it battery power is inherently not a green fuel, as it does not generate energy, but simply store energy that must be generated elsewhere. This can be clean or renewable, or not so. However when considering the chemicals and processes to make the batteries, coupled with the transportation of said goods, the limited life of batteries, and final waste, it is a “net negative”. Just my unsolicited $0.02. Now Pullman batteries..... charged off an axle generator. Those become quite a mess when they explode from disuse and cold (saw a set of those earlier this afternoon).

‘PullmanCar’

Most of these locomotives use regenerative braking to recharge the batteries. This also acts as dynamic braking, instead of wasting the power through a resistor grid it uses the electricity generated by the traction motors to recharge the batteries. When used in conjunction in a consist with diesel powered locomotives, they are used to generate additional power when needed for instance when pulling a grade and use regenerative braking on the downhill to recharge.
A mining operation in Australia will be using all electrics to move loaded ore cars downhill for processing/shipping and taking empties back up without needing to be recharged. There are wayside charging stations in case they are needed, charging time estimated to be about 1/2 hour. In theory these partially charged locomotives moving downgrade should be near fully charged at the end of trip.
Read here: https://www.batterytechonline.com/battery-applications/electric-locomotive-supports-sustainable-mining-in-australia
Not all of this technology has a downside. Whether you agree with the technology or not it will happen.
Caveat, I do agree with the issue with mining raw materials used to produce the batteries.

Now there is a application that makes sense and it didn't take a 'government mandate' to implement it. I admit that almost fifty years of running a business has given me a bit of a anti mandate attitude since most of them don't make sense are too broad accomplish little or nothing and do nothing except drive up costs which ultimately get passed on a cause inflation. Rarely if ever do they increase efficiency. For instance in the 1970's the government passed the sweeping OSHA law costing industry billions of dollars and twenty years later the accident rate for man hours worked was exactly the same as before the law.
This is not political unless you choose anti stupid mandates to be political. I consider it to be common sense.