Hybrid Locomotives

[Anonymous]

Please enlighten me in my lack of understanding of the hybrid loco. In the auto industry, a hybrid means tha either the internal combustion engine OR the electric motor OR both can provide power to the drive wheels.-which means either/or can power the wheels. The common diesel-electric loco has a prime-mover which runs a generator which provides power to the electric motors. From what I've read about the loco-hybrid is that it's still a diesel engine driving a generator but maintaining a constant 'potential' on a bank of batteries which poweres the wheels. How is that a 'hybrid'?- Am I missing something or is this loco only being powered by one force?

[Anonymous]

Check out the green goat web site:
http://www.railpower.com/greengoat.php

It'll probably answer your question.

QUOTE:
The Green Goat is a hybrid switcher. That means the electric traction motors on the axles are powered by a large bank of custom-designed lead acid batteries. The batteries are kept charged by a small generator driven by a diesel fueled prime mover.

[M636C]

toyomantrains

The "Hybrid" part is being able to use either the battery or the diesel for power. Many early switchers were built this way, and some were built to run on batteries or overhead lines or third rail, and some were built (for New York Central) that could run on diesel, battery or third rail.

The purpose of hybrid cars, the Toyota "Prius" being the best known, is to reduce emissions. This can be acheived in the Green Goat by using a much smaller engine running continuously to charge the batteries.

In England there were a group of locomotives that could run on third rail or use diesel power. They used third rail power in the London area, and reduced pollution that way (well local pollution - the power station didn't help wherever it was located). The last of these are the Class 73 and these worked some of the "Gatwick Express" trains to one of London's airports, entirely on third rail power. These should have been replaced, but problems with the new trains kept them on (they might be out of use now!). These were called "Electro-diesels" so the difference from "diesel electric" was clear. The Green Goat could possibly be called "Battery-Diesel-Electric", but "Hybrid" is easier to say, and carries the right connotation about pollution, if not quite indicating the right technology.

Peter

[daveklepper]

One of the new French light rail systems uses trams that can run either from overhead wire or from battery power, and this allowed an architectural sensitive area to be without wires in the downtown area. Another system has this battery capability for emergencies but also has secitonalized center rail pickupt switched on by radio contact with only the section under the tramcar energized . The battery is in case a section doesn't switch on properly. Can this equipment fall under the Hybrid lable? What about the FL-9's? Dave

[Anonymous]

We Need Hybird Locomotives in America

DOGGY
GO DUKE

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

As mentioned above, hybrid locomotives are an old concept. NYC and DL&W both had tri-powers (diesel, battery or third-rail/overhead) in the New York area and NYC and RI had dual-powers (diesel or battery) at LaSalle St. Station in Chicago. The traction motors were always powered by the battery and the battery was charged either by the diesel or outside power source.
North Shore Line had two locomotives (455 & 456) which could be powered by overhead wire or batteries for industrial spurs without overhead wire.
Illinois Terminal also had a tri-power

[TH&B]

So I guess these engines won't growl, wine, clag or thrash when pulling; nor will they be silent like the pennsy GG1 or B1 and obviously it won't puff like a steam puffer. I wonder what it will sound like (small tubine), that is, what will be entertaining about it!?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 440cuin

So I guess these engines won't growl, wine, clag or thrash when pulling; nor will they be silent like the pennsy GG1 or B1 and obviously it won't puff like a steam puffer. I wonder what it will sound like (small tubine), that is, what will be entertaining about it!?

You can see (and hear) a green goat in motion at the site I listed above, I wouldn't exactly call it silent.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the web-site macguy... I'll spend some time reading later. And thanks Peter for your plausible explanation of the reasoning used for calling them hybrids. Makes sense to me now- usable power from two different sources though they route through only one. I work on hybrid vehicles and love trains so naturally I must learn of the green goat!