(Off-Topic ?) Electric Drayage Truck-Tractor at Los Angeles Intermodal Ports

[tomikawaTT]

WSOR 3801

 Where does the electric power come from?  May not be helping the main problem, just moving the source outside of Lala Land. 

The power comes off the grid, which means that some of it is nuclear, some is hydro, most is fossil fuel - but even if all of it were to be provided by diesel engines the big units found in fixed power plants are far more efficient and less polluting than the existing fleet of trucks.

I recall seeing a documentary series about the Port of Los Angeles which brought out that a significant percentage of the trucks there were non-compliant with earlier smog control standards - and the owners were whining that it would be too expensive to make them compliant.  At the same time, the Port Manager was quoting statistics about health problems due to the excessive pollution...

Personally, I wouldn't enter that area without an oxygen bottle.

Chuck

[WSOR 3801]

 Where does the electric power come from?  May not be helping the main problem, just moving the source outside of Lala Land. 

[tomikawaTT]

Wht goes around, comes around---

When I saw the thread title, I immediately pulled up a 60+ year old childhood memory - the Railway Express trucks with Mack bodies, solid rubber tires and electric drive that were used in New York City until shortly after WWII.  I think they were originally introduced about the same time as the steam locomotive was banned from Manhattan.

As for using electric trucks in the Port of Los Angeles area - ANYTHING that reduces the hydrocarbon exhaust in gas-mask land will be an improvement.

Chuck

[Paul_D_North_Jr]

For those of you who may be interested in such things (as I am), here's the "blurb" from this morning's National Public Radio ("NPR") "Morning Edition" radio program segment regarding the above:

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Cargo Hauling At Calif. Ports Will Go Greener by Ina Jaffe

February 26, 2009 · The neighoring Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have some of the dirtiest air in a region that helped make smog famous. This week, a new all-electric, nonpolluting cargo hauler goes into service that may help make the nation's busiest freight center a little greener.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101177695 

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The story was short on details, as the comments following it note.  One comment has another link (I haven't visited it yet, though): EDIT:  I just looked quickly - much more details, including a link to a "YouTube" video of it in operation:

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"Chad Purkey (cpurke20) wrote:

I found this article at Work Truck On-line and it had a lot more specifics about possible distances and charging. The truck will definetly be used internally within the port and as freight shuttles.

http://www.worktruckonline.com/News/Story/2008/05/Port-of-Los-Angeles-SCAQMD-Roll-Out-Heavy-Duty-Electric-Truck.aspx?interstitial=1

Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:39:15 AM"

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- Paul North.