Hybrid Locomotive Maker Loses Steam
The biggest potential energy gains for railroads come from using hybrid locomotives in the start-and-stop business of assembling and breaking apart trains in the confines of a rail yard. (The locomotives used for this purpose are called “goats” in the industry.) In making its Green Goat hybrid, Railpower stripped the large diesel engines off existing locomotives and replaced them with a bank of batteries and a small, highly efficient, diesel engine for recharging. The Green Goat not only uses less fuel than a regular diesel locomotive, it is much quieter — making it better suited for operations in congested city centers. But a large recall to correct a problem that could cause engine fires did not help the Green Goat’s sales campaign — or RailPower’s financial situation. And the hybrid’s prospects were furthered dimmed by the very way railroads budget for yard locomotive purchases — or, more precisely, how they don’t budget. Railpower found that most large railroads had not bought a yard locomotive for years, if not decades. Instead, they were simply downgrading older locomotives that were no longer suitable for hauling trains along the main line. Railpower, which hopes to restructure and remain in business, is working on a main-line hybrid.
The biggest potential energy gains for railroads come from using hybrid locomotives in the start-and-stop business of assembling and breaking apart trains in the confines of a rail yard. (The locomotives used for this purpose are called “goats” in the industry.)
In making its Green Goat hybrid, Railpower stripped the large diesel engines off existing locomotives and replaced them with a bank of batteries and a small, highly efficient, diesel engine for recharging. The Green Goat not only uses less fuel than a regular diesel locomotive, it is much quieter — making it better suited for operations in congested city centers.
But a large recall to correct a problem that could cause engine fires did not help the Green Goat’s sales campaign — or RailPower’s financial situation. And the hybrid’s prospects were furthered dimmed by the very way railroads budget for yard locomotive purchases — or, more precisely, how they don’t budget.
Railpower found that most large railroads had not bought a yard locomotive for years, if not decades. Instead, they were simply downgrading older locomotives that were no longer suitable for hauling trains along the main line.
Railpower, which hopes to restructure and remain in business, is working on a main-line hybrid.
Part of Railpower's problem is that it doesn't have any other product line besides hybrids and gen-sets to tide it over a lull after its initial sales. NRE, MPI and Progress Rail are all marketing gen-sets but have multiple product lines (NRE and MPI) or are part of a larger firm (Caterpillar owns Progress Rail).
I think that the RR's don't like it. It isn't customisable enough. RP needs work the bugs out a little bit. then thay might like it a little more.
The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.
It may also have something to do with the fact that there was a rash of Battery fires with the Green Goats which forced Railpower to recall every single unit. They were also the first on the market with their Genset line but are now facing fierce cometion from about half a dozen other companies..
Too bad, they had big dreams. It would have been interesting if they'd built prototypes of some of their other ideas like the 5500hp CNG fueled gas turbine electric or the 6,000hp Genset road unit they mention in one of their patents:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=5XokAAAAEBAJ&dq=gas+turbine+locomotive
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Ml6bAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=multiple+engine+locomotive#PPA15,M1
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Railpower is finally crashing? Glad to hear it. Their Green Goats and Gensets looked downright hideous. Especially the RP20SD. Sad to see so many SD40-2s getting turned into those...abominations.
I always favored NRE when it came to hybrids. My friend's friend works there after all. And the 3GS21Bs and 3GS21Cs look really cool. Much neater than anything Railpuke ever cranked out. blugh...
Your friendly neighborhood CNW fan.
There isn't that much difference in appearance between Railpower and NRE gensets:
Railpower RP20BD http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1363787
NRE 3GS21B http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1062595
Lord Atmo Railpower is finally crashing? Glad to hear it. Their Green Goats and Gensets looked downright hideous. Especially the RP20SD. Sad to see so many SD40-2s getting turned into those...abominations. I always favored NRE when it came to hybrids. My friend's friend works there after all. And the 3GS21Bs and 3GS21Cs look really cool. Much neater than anything Railpuke ever cranked out. blugh...
So you feel that your railfanning will benefit from a bunch of folks losing their Jobs...Grow up!
Oh..right...sorry. that too.
With all the job loss going on, I kinda got desensitized on that. It seriously never even crossed my mind. So take it easy, man. I'm sorry
I know someone who knows someone who works at NRE. Thus I'm pretty gung ho towards the 3GS21Bs and frown greatly upon all other hybrids. Especially when the railpower locos never appealed to me in the slightest. It was painful seeing SD40-2s turning into those nasty-looking RP20SDs.
Pardon my ignorance....>_<
And there's plenty of differences between the RP20GE and the 3GS21B. Namely the nose. the railpower hybrids have tiny goofy looking noses with comically oversize cab windows. The NRE hybrids resemble the classic spartan cab much better than railpower. Plus they don't all have noselights like railpower does.
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