Midwest Terminals in Toledo reconfigured a diesel locomotive from the 1950s into a 100% battery-powered locomotive. This is the first of its kind within the United States."Transformed that kind of technology" sounds so much more highfalutin' than "took out the prime mover and put batteries in its place." Because the 1957 GP-9 locomotive is a diesel-electric locomotive with automatic transition, wiring the battery power circuits into the control stand is straightforward, and the engineer is still doing the same things with reverser, throttle, and brakes he was on the diesel.
The designers and builders of the recommissioned, zero-emission 1957 GP-9 locomotive say that the operations of battery-powered locomotives are all the same as its diesel counterparts, making the transitions from diesel to electric-powered locomotives seamless for its operators.
In the winter, this particular locomotive - a switcher - is often left idling overnight in order to keep its parts warm for operation. According to Midwest Terminals, this burns 4.5 gallons of gas per hour.
“It’s no different than an electric vehicle on the highway,” Robert Holtz, the Vice President of Operation for Midwest Terminals of Toledo said. “We just transformed that kind of technology to a locomotive space.”
The transportation sector emits the highest amount of greenhouse gases, with the rail industry only contributing to two percent of those emissions, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. However, any effort taken to combat global warming is integral, and Midwest Terminals of Toledo, with the help of the Ohio EPA, has recognized its role in the green initiative.
Overnight, they plug the locomotive in for recharging, right? On the traditional steeple cab switcher with a trolley pole, in the morning you put up the pole, wait for the compressor to charge the brake system, and off you go.
I suppose we should be grateful nobody heard that compressor kick in and made reference to "chugging."
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