BNSF to Begin Testing Natural Gas Locomotives

[wva-usa]

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) will begin testing a small number of locomotives using liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative fuel later this year, as will be announced by Matthew K. Rose, BNSF chairman and CEO at the CERAWeek conference on March 6.

"The use of liquefied natural gas as an alternative fuel is a potential transformational change for our railroad and for our industry," said Rose. "While there are daunting technical and regulatory challenges still to be faced, this pilot project is an important first step that will allow BNSF to evaluate the technical and economic viability of the use of liquefied natural gas in through-freight service, potentially reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby providing environmental and energy security benefits to our nation."

BNSF has been working with the two principal locomotive manufacturers, GE and EMD, a unit of Caterpillar, to develop the natural gas engine technology that will be used in the pilot.

BNSF just happens to be owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett is betting big on natural gas. If this latest natural gas play works, it could mean big profits and big changes for the entire rail industry.

But the transition won’t be simple. Locomotives will have to be redesigned, and they will need more fuel storage and new fueling stations. All that infrastructure is going to be expensive. But according to energy expert Amy Jaffe, it’s worth it for Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway.

Once the conversion is complete, BNSF trains will have to refuel less often than diesel trains, they will be cheaper to run and they will pollute less. Jaffe expects more railroads to make the switch.

From: BNSF to test liquefied natural gas in road locomotives and Railroad to make shift to natural gas locomotives

 

[cascaderailroad]

I can't wait for the use of HHO2 energy ... whatever HHO2 is anyway ?

They conspired to kill the electric car, and squashed the concept and technology, because it would gouge profits away from Big Oil & Coal, and force them into bankruptcy.

 

[magickmaker]

http://qstation.org/BN_LNG/

Not the first time this has been tried.

Problem was, the LNG locomotives required tenders, as their usual fuel tanks wouldn't hold enough LNG fuel to move very far. Even the CN ones currently in testing are two locomotives with a "tender" sandwiched between them.

 

[wva-usa]

Locomotives designed specifically for natural gas probably won't need "tenders" like the converted locomotive pictured about has...

Here's one design for a gas-turbine loco from a few years ago:

"25" is the natural gas container...

GE Transportation eyes natural gas locomotives

GE Transportation doesn't simply build diesel-electric locomotives. The company, which has its main manufacturing facility in Lawrence Park Township, invented this system of using diesel engines to generate power for electric traction motors.

But 96 years after the first diesel-electric locomotive was unveiled, GE Transportation could find itself in a race to develop the technology to replace the diesel.


Lorenzo Simonelli, chief executive of GE Transportation, Erie County's largest employer, said last week in a CNBC interview that his company is planning demonstration and pilot projects with BNSF later this year.

"We will continue our development in 2014," he said. "We will be looking to have retrofits as well as new locomotives available during the next few years."

Simonelli said there's reason to believe that liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could produce a fuel-cost savings of 50 percent.

The technology could also have other advantages, according to company spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson.

"Our LNG engine technology is expected to offer substantially increased locomotive range between refueling, providing another transforming benefit for the freight railroad industry," she said.

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