BHP, a mining company in Western Australia, just ordered 4 battery powered locomotives for their iron ore trains.
https://thedriven.io/2022/01/19/mining-giant-bhp-orders-electric-trains-for-wa-iron-ore-rail-network/
York1I don't have a garden railroad, and at my age, I'm unlikely to ever build one. But I would be very interested in battery powered locomotives on a garden RR.
I'm sorry I wrote this, but the forum doesn't allow me to delete the post.
I thought the original post was asking about battery-powered model locomotives.
York1 John
There is pressure on the railroads to reduce emissions (as there is on all the transportation sectors) so they are exploring battery operated locomotives. The big problem now is range.
Probably the first engines to be battery operated will be local and switch engines. Ironically, the reason we have diesel electrics is because of pressure on the railroads to reduce emissions. The first diesels were used to reduce smoke in urban areas 100 years ago, so changing motive power for environmental reasons isn't new.
The second leap it relibility, how well do the batteries stand up to charging cycles. If the batteries need to be replaced too frequently, then the locomotives will be a failure.
I wonder if anybody is looking at battery "tenders", more or less a road slug or tender that has no control compartment, its just banks of batteries. If they could get the range with a tender up to the 750-1000 mile range, then they could replicate deisel performance and every 750-1000 miles swap out battery tenders, then the tenders could recharge.
Obviously they would want a recharging option instead of dynamic brakes, just like a hybrid cars does. Currently dynamic brakes turn the traction motors into generators/alternators and then the electricity is depleted through a heater grid on the roof. Instead that electric would go to charge the batteries.
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JDawg Maybe one day electric locomotives will be practical. Look at what electric cars have done recently. A road trip costs less with an EV than with a traditional gas car. Don't get me wrong, EV's have shortcomings, but the tech keeps improving. So an 100 percent electric loco is feasible, just not at the current tech level. A great example is a tram service in Australia (if I recall correctly). The tram runs 100 percent battery power. It has solar panels on the roof which help. It uses regenerative breaking. Then, at its stops, there are large solar panels that are plugged in to the loco during passenger exchanges. Sounds great, but it has shortcoming. The track is mostly flat. The tram is only two units. But the concept is cool.
Maybe one day electric locomotives will be practical. Look at what electric cars have done recently. A road trip costs less with an EV than with a traditional gas car. Don't get me wrong, EV's have shortcomings, but the tech keeps improving.
So an 100 percent electric loco is feasible, just not at the current tech level. A great example is a tram service in Australia (if I recall correctly). The tram runs 100 percent battery power. It has solar panels on the roof which help. It uses regenerative breaking. Then, at its stops, there are large solar panels that are plugged in to the loco during passenger exchanges.
Sounds great, but it has shortcoming. The track is mostly flat. The tram is only two units. But the concept is cool.
Here is the video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y4QGFte3T8
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
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I don't have a garden railroad, and at my age, I'm unlikely to ever build one.
But I would be very interested in battery powered locomotives on a garden RR.
BTW it isn't really a new technology, just improved. There were battery powered or hybrid locomotives in the early 20th century - just as there were battery powered automobiles back then. The main difference is now batteries can be recharged easier, and are more powerful so are becoming able to be used for longer runs.
My questions are absolutely about prototype engines. I am trying to determine if my thoughts that this is a gimic that the railroads are doing for tax credits or other financial incentives is accurate and that these engines are doomed to failure
In the prototype world, diesels are electric locomotives. They generate their own electricity on board. In the model world, everything other than live steam is powered electrically. Battery technology has advanced so much in the past few decades that it has become practical to power model locomotives. Having no experience with it, I can't answer your question as to how powerful these locos are or how long they can go between recharging, but I know people are starting to with it so it must be practical.
I would expect this thread to be moved the electronics forum since it's not about the prototypes.
Model the PRR so don't follow modern stuff too much. What is the story on battery powered locos. How far can they run? How much traction power do they have? Etc. See that sales are picking up. I don't see how they can be as efficient as diesel powered. Thank you