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Fast Track To Public Rail Electrification

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Some links:    Here is the article on electrification for the new purpose that appeared in Trains called WIRED UP by Scott Lothes: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.railsolution.org/uploads/PDF/TRAINSarticle11-09.pdf" mce_href="http://www.railsolution.org/uploads/PDF/TRAINSarticle11-09.pdf">http://www.railsolution.org/uploads/PDF/TRAINSarticle11-09.pdf</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is a paper about BNSF contemplating electrification.  In the other thread, I referred to a “tipping point” where the market price of oil would rise so high that it will become preferable to electrify.  However, Matt Rose speculates that the economic tipping point will soon arrive in the form of U.S. government-imposed carbon caps driving up the operating cost of oil-powered locomotives. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=25899" mce_href="http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=25899">http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=25899</A> <o:p></o:p> About carbon caps, Rose said this: <o:p></o:p> “I think we’re going to start pricing carbon out at some point in time in the future.  There’s lots of good news and lots of bad news in that for the railroads.” <o:p></o:p> The bad news seems obvious in a government-imposed carbon cap system that raises operating costs to the point where it is cheaper to electrify.  I wonder what the good news is that Rose refers to.  Maybe the good news, at least for BNSF, is that they will become a large enough carrier of electricity to offset the burden of carbon caps. <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is an article about how NS is generally for electrification and UP is not.  UP president James Young, BNSF president Matt Rose, and NS executive vice president Donald Seale share their views.  Rose and Young both mention the possibility of carbon caps forcing the need to electrify. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/411794" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/411794">http://www.joc.com/node/411794</A> <o:p></o:p> About electrification and carbon caps, Young said this:  <o:p></o:p> “Within a yard, electrification certainly would be possible, but over-the-road train moves would be another matter, and we are not looking at that.  However, there may be some math down the road, when you start looking at carbon footprints, and the cost of cap and trade, that could force you to take a look at it.” <o:p></o:p> On the same topic, Rose said that any future carbon restrictions affecting railroads could help make electric trains financially viable compared with justifying today the high costs of converting their networks and locomotive fleets.   That is certainly a case of seeing the glass half full as they say.  A new mandate will be so costly that it will force you to spend money that you could not afford to spend before the mandate. <o:p></o:p> Young mentions that high voltage power lines along the right of way do not necessarily mix with the UP business of moving freight. <o:p></o:p> Rose mentions the possibility of BNSF not only carrying electric power on its right of way, but also selling that power to heavy electric use customers.  I wonder if BNSF would go so far as to diversify into wind farms, thus becoming an electric utility as well as a railroad. <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is a blog piece that discusses the requirement that electrification for the new purpose be accomplished with electricity from wind or nuclear, but prefers wind because nuclear power releases heat, which causes global warming.   They say that the heat produced by nuclear power is three times the energy of the electricity it generates.  The piece is followed by lots of interesting comments that paint a picture of the larger context. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/07/14/readying-an-electrified-transportation-system/" mce_href="http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/07/14/readying-an-electrified-transportation-system/">http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/07/14/readying-an-electrified-transportation-system/</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here an article about CSX’s reservations about electrification.  Michael Ward mentions the added cost of cleaning up freight train derailments because they are likely to tear down the catenary, which will add cost to the cleanup and repair process. <o:p></o:p> He also alludes to the impending climate change (carbon caps) legislation as a factor that may force railroads to electrify. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/412165" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/412165">http://www.joc.com/node/412165</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is an article about BNSF’s preference for “dual-mode” locomotives as a way to bridge the motive power transition from diesel-electric to straight electric.  GE says it would take about three years to take such a locomotive design from concept to production, and that they would cost twice as much as comparable diesel-electric locomotives or about $5-million for each dual-mode locomotive. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/410843/" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/410843/">http://www.joc.com/node/410843/</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is an article continuing the discussion of the dual-mode locomotives, and whether to use AC or DC power.  BNSF’s Matt Rose says he hopes the federal government will help pay for electrification as a public policy decision to cut emissions and oil dependence. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/410837" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/410837">http://www.joc.com/node/410837</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Midwest power grid manager, Carl Dombek, in an interview, describes the vision of DC power lines in the railroad rights of way in order to move power from remote wind farms to population centers, and also power freight trains on those railroad rights of way.  Public resistance is expected to be less when a new power line is added to an existing railroad right of way, as opposed to a new power line added to a new right of way.  Less public resistance will substantially speed up construction of a power line. <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/410846" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/410846">http://www.joc.com/node/410846</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> Here is further discussion of upgrading the power grid.  Dale Osborn is the transmission planning technical director for the non-profit organization Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator.   <o:p></o:p> Quotes from the article:  “Dale Osborn helped get the sizzling notion of electrified freight railroading before some of the Obama administration’s top planners on energy and environmental issues.” <o:p></o:p> Dale Osborn said, “This is a special moment in history for groups like MISO, as the nation is shaping plans for massive investments in new power lines to upgrade the creaky grid and to shift toward more clean-energy sources.  But new power corridors take years to get permit approvals, much less build, which adds cost and precious time.”   <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://www.joc.com/node/410840" mce_href="http://www.joc.com/node/410840">http://www.joc.com/node/410840</A> <o:p></o:p> *** <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>
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