Locomotives are massive machines that are incredibly strong and dependable. They come with a variety of features as well as electronic safety systems. However, the greater the price point, the more equipment there is.
So, what does a locomotive cost? A diesel locomotive can cost anywhere between $500,000 and $2 million. An electric locomotive, on the other hand, could cost more than $6 million. The cost varies depending on whether it uses AC or DC traction, how much horsepower it has, and what electronics it contains.
How long does a train engine last?
The Tier 4 engine’s first prototype was released in August 2012, and later that year, GE tested a number of field test locomotives on its test tracks. This year, the business visited a technological test center in Pueblo, Colorado, with its production-grade locomotives. On 9- and 13-mile loops, the engineers recreated long-term railroad operation conditions, with loaded cars running at high speeds for extended periods of time. The massive track loops and high-altitude, low-oxygen atmosphere allowed the GE team to see how well the engine really operates. Twenty preproduction engines were delivered to clients today, where they will be used to draw freight and provide last-minute feedback to GE before full production begins later this year.
The Tier 4 locomotive is expected to last between 25 and 30 years. It’s the best GE can do for now, and they expect it to last until at least 2023.
“For the next eight years, this will be our crown jewel offering,” Hall says. The EPA hasn’t specified whether a Tier 5 would be implemented, but if it is, it should happen around the time GE is ready to launch whatever comes next.
What engine is in a diesel train?
This locomotive’s main engine is a General Motors EMD 710 series engine. The “710” refers to the 710 cubic inch displacement of each cylinder in its turbocharged, two-stroke diesel V-12 (11.6 L). That’s more than double the size of most gasoline V-8 vehicle engines, and we’re only talking about one of the 3,200-hp engine’s 12 cylinders.
So, what’s the big deal with two-stroke? Even though this engine is massive, it would only produce half the power if it ran on the four-stroke diesel cycle, which is used by most smaller diesel engines. This is due to the fact that the two-stroke cycle produces twice as many combustion events (power) every revolution. The two-stroke diesel engine turns out to be far more elegant and efficient than the two-stroke gasoline engine. For further information, see How Diesel Two-Stroke Engines Work.
How much does an ES44AC cost?
The new GE ES44AC locomotives, which cost $2.5 million apiece, are 18% more fuel efficient than the other options considered by IAIS. One of the new 4,400-horsepower units, according to Miller, will be able to draw a train that two or three of the company’s present units can’t.
Why do train engines not turn off?
Because trains are so enormous and heavy, they require the highest possible brake line pressure to stop safely. Loco pilots never compromise on brake line pressure for obvious reasons. Another incentive to keep diesel train engines running is the engine itself. The diesel engine in a train is a huge machine with roughly 16 cylinders.
How far can a train go on a gallon of diesel?
The formula for our 2018 fuel economy rating is as follows: (Source: CSX R-1 Report 2018)
- Lines 1+3 (Line 4) of Schedule 750, Diesel Fuel Consumption (Freight + Switching) = 423,998,863 gallons
Over the previous decade, CSX has spent more than $2.8 billion on improving locomotive fuel efficiency and lowering emissions.
The ton-mile-per-gallon is a unit of measurement used to compare the effectiveness of various types of transportation while moving freight.
The rail business keeps track of revenue ton-miles and publishes them “Surface Transportation Board Annual Report” (commonly referred to as the R1 Report). ‘The’ “The annual value of “Ton-Miles of Freight” is recorded in Schedule 755, line 110 of the R1 Report. In the R1 Report, Schedule 750, line 4, the rail sector also tracks and reports annual fuel usage. The system-wide train efficiency value is calculated using these two stated values.
For example, CSX recorded 208,712,027,000 ton-miles of freight in the R1 Report in 2018, and the combined line haul and switcher reported fuel usage was 423,998,863 gallons.
In other words, based on our 2018 revenue ton miles and fuel use, CSX trains can move a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a gallon of fuel.
A freight truck’s fuel economy can be calculated in a similar method. For example, assuming an average 7 miles per gallon truck fuel efficiency and a typical truck payload of 19 tons, a heavy-duty diesel truck moving 19 tons of freight over 500 miles would burn approximately 71 gallons of diesel fuel. This freight haul’s efficiency would be computed as follows:
This efficiency could be described as follows: “On a gallon of gas, a truck can transport a ton of freight 134 miles.”
Similarly, a normal train might transport 3,000 tons of freight for 500 miles while using 3,049 gallons of diesel fuel. This freight haul’s efficiency would be computed as follows:
This efficiency could be described as follows: “On a gallon of fuel, a train can transport a ton of freight 492 miles.”
As illustrated by the ratio of 492 train ton-miles per gallon split by 134 truck ton-miles per gallon in this example, the train is nearly 3.7 times more efficient at moving freight.
How does a diesel train locomotive work?
Pistons attached to an electric generator are pushed by the ignition of diesel fuel. The produced electricity powers the locomotive’s motors, which are attached to the locomotive’s wheels. The heat generated by the compression of air during the upward cycles of the stroke is used to ignite the fuel in a “diesel” internal combustion engine. This sort of engine was created by Dr. Rudolph Diesel, the creator. In 1892, it was granted a patent.
- An electric fuel pump delivers diesel fuel to the engine, which is kept in a fuel tank. Because of its lower volatility, lower cost, and widespread availability, diesel fuel has become the favored fuel for railroad locomotives.
- The diesel engine (A) is the locomotive’s most important component. It’s an internal combustion engine with many cylinders linked to a shared crankshaft. The tremendous compression ignites the fuel, driving the piston down. A crankshaft is turned by the piston’s action.
- The primary generator (B), which converts the engine’s mechanical power to electrical power, is attached to the diesel engine. The electricity is subsequently distributed to traction motors (C) via various switchgear components’ circuits.
- The output of the main generator is regulated by the excitation field current to its windings since it is always turning, regardless of whether the locomotive is moving or not.
- The locomotive’s power output is controlled via an electrically operated throttle by the engineer. More fuel is fed into the engine’s cylinders when it is opened, increasing mechanical power production. The electrical output of the main generator grows as the excitation of the generator increases.
- Each traction motor (C) is connected to a pair of driving wheels directly. Using electricity as the locomotive’s “transmission” is significantly more reliable than relying on a mechanical transmission and clutch. Starting a big train from a stop would quickly burn out the clutch.
How much fuel does a train use per hour?
McNally posted this on February 9, 2022. The average fuel consumption of a steam locomotive was 2.25 gallons. A diesel locomotive uses 252 gallons of fuel per hour on average, whereas coal trains use 44 tons of coal and 2,880 gallons of water per hour on average.
