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Freight Railroad Electrification

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 10:16 PM

Ulrich
... 

Bread lines, government housing, and pollution aren't unique to Russia.. 

Stalin would like your comment.

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 10:07 PM

York1

 

 
MidlandMike
How is picking only the dense countries that have electrified rail a perfect example.  It is a biased example.  You are ignoring the examples of the Trans-Siberian and Morocco mentioned multiple times.  Population density is not a defining factor; ton-miles and efficiency and ability to finance are the limiting factors.

 

You are mixing the two.

You point up Russia and Morocco.  Russia is a good example of a railroad system built by a dictatorial government.  Morocco's railroad is state-owned.

Then you mention Japan and Europe.  As pointed out, both of those are small, densely populated areas.  Europe's private trains for the most part operate on state owned tracks.  Japan's trains are private, but carry almost no freight.

All of these situations would not translate well to the U.S. or Canada.

If you want us to have a system like Russia or Europe, then elect people to Congress who will take over the rail system, spend trillions of dollars to electrify it, and then sit back and enjoy watching your tax dollars at work.

Several times you've mentioned Russia's system.  It was mostly built by the communist governments.  While they electrified the system, they also had people standing in bread lines and living in government housing that would be condemned in any other country.  They didn't worry about pollution or dirty power systems.

 

Bread lines, government housing, and pollution aren't unique to Russia.. 

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 9:29 PM

MidlandMike
 
Backshop

Perfect example--Germany has 84 million people in a country a little more than half the size of Texas. Japan has 124 million people in a country the size of Montana. With a population density like that, you can do it. Germany's is greater than every state except for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey.  Guess what? Two of the three have decent electrified networks.   

How is picking only the dense countries that have electrified rail a perfect example.  It is a biased example.  You are ignoring the examples of the Trans-Siberian and Morocco mentioned multiple times.  Population density is not a defining factor; ton-miles and efficiency and ability to finance are the limiting factors.

Trans-Siberian was a Russian State project; Morocco is also a state project.  It is amazing what can be accomplished when return on investment is looked at as other than on a financial profit/loss statement.

Remember MILW and GN both had long distance electrified zones and scrapped them in the 1970's or thereabouts.

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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 9:11 PM

MidlandMike
How is picking only the dense countries that have electrified rail a perfect example.  It is a biased example.  You are ignoring the examples of the Trans-Siberian and Morocco mentioned multiple times.  Population density is not a defining factor; ton-miles and efficiency and ability to finance are the limiting factors.

You are mixing the two.

You point up Russia and Morocco.  Russia is a good example of a railroad system built by a dictatorial government.  Morocco's railroad is state-owned.

Then you mention Japan and Europe.  As pointed out, both of those are small, densely populated areas.  Europe's private trains for the most part operate on state owned tracks.  Japan's trains are private, but carry almost no freight.

All of these situations would not translate well to the U.S. or Canada.

If you want us to have a system like Russia or Europe, then elect people to Congress who will take over the rail system, spend trillions of dollars to electrify it, and then sit back and enjoy watching your tax dollars at work.

Several times you've mentioned Russia's system.  It was mostly built by the communist governments.  While they electrified the system, they also had people standing in bread lines and living in government housing that would be condemned in any other country.  They didn't worry about pollution or dirty power systems.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 8:42 PM

Backshop

Perfect example--Germany has 84 million people in a country a little more than half the size of Texas. Japan has 124 million people in a country the size of Montana. With a population density like that, you can do it. Germany's is greater than every state except for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey.  Guess what? Two of the three have decent electrified networks.  

 

How is picking only the dense countries that have electrified rail a perfect example.  It is a biased example.  You are ignoring the examples of the Trans-Siberian and Morocco mentioned multiple times.  Population density is not a defining factor; ton-miles and efficiency and ability to finance are the limiting factors.

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Posted by Ulrich on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 8:39 PM

Backshop

Perfect example--Germany has 84 million people in a country a little more than half the size of Texas. Japan has 124 million people in a country the size of Montana. With a population density like that, you can do it. Germany's is greater than every state except for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey.  Guess what? Two of the three have decent electrified networks.  

 

 

Russia is vastly larger with a populaton of 140 million and declining. Their rail network is electrified for the most part (87%) including the Trans Siberian line. In Russia 90% of intercity freight moves by rail.. 

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Posted by Backshop on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 8:06 PM

Perfect example--Germany has 84 million people in a country a little more than half the size of Texas. Japan has 124 million people in a country the size of Montana. With a population density like that, you can do it. Germany's is greater than every state except for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey.  Guess what? Two of the three have decent electrified networks.  

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Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 8:01 PM

MidlandMike
1. Apparently you missed the part of my post that talked about the Trans-Siberian railroad and the Morocco HSR.  Do those countries have the density of Europe.

2. Does this mean that you agree that private companies are incapable of electrification?

1. Government sponsored, supported and financed.

2. If there is a sufficient profit, private companies will be there. No profit expected, no private involvement.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 7:56 PM

York1

 

 
MidlandMike
Are Europe and Japan governments authoritarian?  Even a third world country like Morocco has electrified high speed rail.  Does the fact that they are all government owned, infer that private railroads are incapable of electrificatioon?

 

 

1.  Europe and Japan are both high populations - small areas.  Most of our country is not in that situation.

2.  Private companies won't spend money with no possibility of profits in return.

 

1. Apparently you missed the part of my post that talked about the Trans-Siberian railroad and the Morocco HSR.  Do those countries have the density of Europe.

2. Does this mean that you agree that private companies are incapable of electrification?

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Posted by York1 on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 7:10 PM

MidlandMike
Are Europe and Japan governments authoritarian?  Even a third world country like Morocco has electrified high speed rail.  Does the fact that they are all government owned, infer that private railroads are incapable of electrificatioon?

 

1.  Europe and Japan are both high populations - small areas.  Most of our country is not in that situation.

2.  Private companies won't spend money with no possibility of profits in return.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 6:53 PM

Backshop

 

 
MidlandMike

The Trans-Siberian is more than twice as long as LA-CHI and is electrified.

 

 

It was also built and operated by an authoritarian government.  See a pattern here?

 

 

Are Europe and Japan governments authoritarian?  Even a third world country like Morocco has electrified high speed rail.  Does the fact that they are all government owned, infer that private railroads are incapable of electrificatioon?

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 9:17 AM

In my opinion, there are no 'showstopping' objections to the technical achievement of punctate, progressive electrification.  The concerns are allocating the capital and establishing suitable 'championing', developing effective-scale construction and maintenance support, and managing the public and political objections to electrification 'at all the neighbors' expense'.

Something I have seen architects and planners address is how to make OHLE less ugly or intrusive.  Some of the work done in connection with 'three-wire' streetcar and light-rail development specifically concerned itself with how to make that kind of overhead wire look better -- acceptably better, not just something to be promoted via the usual methods.

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Posted by rdamon on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 8:05 AM

Backshop

 

 
MidlandMike

The Trans-Siberian is more than twice as long as LA-CHI and is electrified.

 

 

It was also built and operated by an authoritarian government.  See a pattern here?

 

 

 

Like California :D

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Posted by Backshop on Monday, May 1, 2023 8:55 PM

MidlandMike

The Trans-Siberian is more than twice as long as LA-CHI and is electrified.

It was also built and operated by an authoritarian government.  See a pattern here?

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Posted by MidlandMike on Monday, May 1, 2023 8:38 PM

Backshop

 

 
charlie hebdo

It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. It's really not such a big deal. Most other industrialized nations seem to have overcome the difficulties mentioned here.  I suspect most here have never spent much time in areas that have such services. As to noise, definitely quieter.

 

 

 

Most are government run, which means that money is less of a problem. Their runs are also much shorter than ours.  LA-CHI is huge compared to anything in Europe.

 

 

The Trans-Siberian is more than twice as long as LA-CHI and is electrified.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, May 1, 2023 4:04 PM

charlie hebdo
There is lots of international service in Europe. If engine changes are needed st s border,  they are done efficiently.

Engine changes, no matter how efficient, are DELAY.  The bigger problem is actually having engines at the proper location at the proper time to facilitate a change.

 

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Posted by rdamon on Monday, May 1, 2023 3:29 PM

Backshop

 

 
rdamon

LA-CHI sure, but this may be more like LA-Barstow

 

 

 

That's a separate thread about California banning older diesels.  This thread is about long distance, widespread electrification on many major trunk lines.

 

 

 

I disagree.  Last time I drove that route it was not a local trip.

If that is the catalyst to start the transcon, then continuing to Belen and to KC and eventually Chicago would be incremental.

 

 

  

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Monday, May 1, 2023 3:26 PM

There is lots of international service in Europe. If engine changes are needed st s border,  they are done efficiently.

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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, May 1, 2023 2:35 PM

charlie hebdo
 
Backshop 
charlie hebdo

It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. It's really not such a big deal. Most other industrialized nations seem to have overcome the difficulties mentioned here.  I suspect most here have never spent much time in areas that have such services. As to noise, definitely quieter. 

Most are government run, which means that money is less of a problem. Their runs are also much shorter than ours.  LA-CHI is huge compared to anything in Europe. 

I suggest that the network of lines in Europe or Japan is very dense. Majority of lines in Germany and France, Italy, Benelux are electrified. The infreastructure is state owned; operators are privatized. We should do the same for efficiency 

Europe's rail 'system' is far from a system with each country marching to their own 'drummer' as to manner of operation and with each country having its own form of elctrification that effectively prevents anything like 'run through' trains across Europe in any direction.  Were the European model implemented in the US, each state would have its own rail 'system' and crossing from state to state would be a major undertaking.

To my limited knowledge is the Thalys service is one of the few cross country services and the equipment has been built to handle the four different forms of electrification the service operates over.

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Monday, May 1, 2023 2:28 PM

Backshop

 

 
charlie hebdo

It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. It's really not such a big deal. Most other industrialized nations seem to have overcome the difficulties mentioned here.  I suspect most here have never spent much time in areas that have such services. As to noise, definitely quieter.

 

 

 

Most are government run, which means that money is less of a problem. Their runs are also much shorter than ours.  LA-CHI is huge compared to anything in Europe.

 

 

I suggest that the network of lines in Europe or Japan is very dense. Majority of lines in Germany and France, Italy, Benelux are electrified. The infreastructure is state owned; operators are privatized. We should do the same for efficiency 

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Posted by Backshop on Monday, May 1, 2023 2:08 PM

rdamon

LA-CHI sure, but this may be more like LA-Barstow

 

That's a separate thread about California banning older diesels.  This thread is about long distance, widespread electrification on many major trunk lines.

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Posted by cx500 on Monday, May 1, 2023 1:59 PM

[quote user="BaltACD

 

[/quote]

 Also, I think you will find that on a number of lightly used branch lines steam lingered on considerably longer before being replaced by diesel railcars.

 
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Posted by BaltACD on Monday, May 1, 2023 1:48 PM

tree68
 
charlie hebdo
It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. 

I think it's less a matter of being opposed to the concept than it is understanding the realities of the costs of building such a network from scratch.  Never mind the lesser distances - the European lines have been electrified for years. 

Also remember, much of Europe had to rebuild their railways from the damages of WW II. Faced with the costs of rebuilding from near scratch and having governmental financing - they chose electric for their own reasons.

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Posted by rdamon on Monday, May 1, 2023 1:47 PM

LA-CHI sure, but this may be more like LA-Barstow

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Posted by tree68 on Monday, May 1, 2023 1:36 PM

charlie hebdo
It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines.

I think it's less a matter of being opposed to the concept than it is understanding the realities of the costs of building such a network from scratch.  Never mind the lesser distances - the European lines have been electrified for years. 

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Posted by Backshop on Monday, May 1, 2023 11:40 AM

charlie hebdo

It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. It's really not such a big deal. Most other industrialized nations seem to have overcome the difficulties mentioned here.  I suspect most here have never spent much time in areas that have such services. As to noise, definitely quieter.

 

Most are government run, which means that money is less of a problem. Their runs are also much shorter than ours.  LA-CHI is huge compared to anything in Europe.

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Posted by charlie hebdo on Monday, May 1, 2023 11:21 AM

It's amazing how oppositional folks are on here to electrification of major trunk lines. It's really not such a big deal. Most other industrialized nations seem to have overcome the difficulties mentioned here.  I suspect most here have never spent much time in areas that have such services. As to noise, definitely quieter.

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Posted by Overmod on Monday, May 1, 2023 7:49 AM

azrail
Except for the fact that a lot of people don't want to live next to a web of buzzing wires and ugly poles ruining their views. And I thought that electric waves caused cancer-as the same environazis said before.

Since the sections involved would be strict grade-separated, you can use smart third rail in the 'affected' areas (which works like a heavier version of the old GE energized-on-demand point contact streetcar system) either on HVDC or high-frequency AC with grounding planes on either side of the contact area for electromagnetic theatre.  Run at restricted speed on these sections if so desired, and blame the (marginally) greater trip time on south-end "activists".  Of course the locomotives or MUs would be battery-electric a la RPS so gaps in the 'third rail' or momentary point-contact failures wouldn't have any real effect...

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Posted by azrail on Sunday, April 30, 2023 5:00 PM

Except for the fact that a lot of people don't want to live next to a web of buzzing wires and ugly poles ruining their views. And I thought that electric waves caused cancer-as the same envirkazis said before.

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Posted by Erik_Mag on Sunday, April 30, 2023 1:50 PM

Overmod

This was actually the scam set up with an early run of the Milwaukee Road electrification - the basis for the claim that their regenerative braking from a descending train would supply enough energy to lift another upgrade.

They started with a long, heavy train at the top of one of the grades, and the train 'lifted' with the regenerated power was much smaller.

I don't recall reading anything about a demostration where an ascending train was pulled up by a descending train. OTOH, the first freight train hauled electrically over Pipestone pass eastbound, so it ended up at a much lower elevation than it started. At the end of the trip, an announcement was made that the Montana Power Company owed the Milwaukee a few dollars for the net regenerated energy.

Regeneration was credited with a 17% savings in power consumption, but within a year or so, operating experience showed that the reduction in brake show wear and reduced accidents had a much larger payback than the savings in electric energy.

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