Editor's note: Today, the U.S. railway system of "green transportation" concept is increasingly prominent. Over the years, the railway has been a more energy-efficient fuel-efficient than road transport. Right now, glue stick the U.S. government support of alternative energy makes the country in hybrid transportation technology has made great progress, these advances may make this horse, "Iron Horse" become more green.
According to the American Railway Association reported that rail transport has grown rapidly in recent years. Although the financial crisis, the U.S. rail freight volume declined by 19% (in the train cargo capacity to count), glue gun but between 1990 and 2007, the U.S. rail freight volume increased by 47%; the same time, from the past few to look at, rail transport more energy efficient than road transport fuel, it also makes rail transport more people of all ages.
Recent Developments in hybrid trains.
In the United States Fort Worth, Texas, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) chief of public affairs, said Berg, 1980, rail transport one ton of goods for the average fuel consumption 1.05 l / hundred kilometers, but by 2007 this figure had fallen to 0.57 l / hundred kilometers than the truck that nearly 3 times the fuel savings.
However, the potential of the trains is also not confined to this, the new energy-saving effect of hybrid train will be better. In fact, the hybrid power train technology is not entirely innovative, it is mostly used in hybrid vehicle technology today. Such as the General Electric Company in its train in the use of "regenerative braking" technology produced with the Toyota Prius (Prius) hybrid electric vehicle technology used quite. The Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell car company buses for the railway transport system has laid the foundation for energy conservation. Rail energy system is located in Golden, Colorado, USA Vehicle Engineering Co., Ltd. (VehicleProjects, a hydrogen fuel cell technology company) by the invention. In addition, the Chevrolet Volt hybrid car was powered by ethanol fuel to create the conditions for the train, the train from the city of Milford, Ohio (Milford) hybrid power train can be replaced Technology Co., Ltd. (AHL-TECH) research and development.
Commenting on the advantages of hybrid power train, the U.S. Department of Transportation spokesman Vladimir Figure Warren said: "The hybrid technology in helping to train the purpose of energy saving, but also able to provide sufficient power to run the train."
Domestic support and opposition.
GE Global Research Manager of the Chemical Energy Systems Laboratory Gelan Mei Rumsfeld said that the development of hybrid power train with the challenges of hybrid vehicles the same: People for the power density and vehicle durability concerns. However, because rail transport is more important than road transport load, vibration is more intense, so people are more serious concerns in this regard. Indeed, the hybrid power train can bring many advantages, but they also create new obstacles: the high demand for infrastructure and the need for strong government support. Located in Omaha, Nebraska (Omaha) of the United Pacific Railway Yang (UnionPacificRailroad) is the largest railway company, the nation's total of 5,150 km railway line. Mike Eden, general manager of the company, said: "In fact, there is no single fuel can meet our needs, and in the railway system using renewable energy sources must also be on upgrading existing infrastructure. For example, if you want to support the hydrogen fuel cell powered railway system, we must build new infrastructure, because the hydrogen molecules are too small, the existing pipeline can not seal them, it is easy to cause leakage accident. "In addition, the Ministry spokesman Vladimir Figure added: "The government does not have any policy to stimulate the railway system to encourage use of alternative energy."
Meanwhile, the reliability and security issues can not be ignored. Canadian Rail Power Technologies, Inc. (RailPowerTechnologies) invented the "Green Goat" diesel electric shunting locomotive is the a very promising technology, it is mainly driven by the battery (even when the load in the locomotive), and its diesel engine is only used to charge the battery.
Shunting in the railway station used to load or unload the venue, and moved the train locomotive. Unfortunately, the "Green Goat" series batteries caught fire later in the accident, the company had to recall in May 2007 to re-manufacture of these batteries, and upgrade of its 59 sets of locomotives. The accident the company paid out $ 15,500,000 of the policy, and eventually lead the company in June was located in Kentucky RJCorman Railway Group LLC acquisition. Executive General Manager Rick Bruce Sigma RJCorman said that although the "Green Goat," the future is full of variables, but there is no doubt that hybrid train will be in the future market place.
Although the development of hybrid train much higher cost than conventional trains, but experts said the train, the former on the energy saving advantage will soon recover the cost to investors. According to the "wealth (Forbes)" magazine's official website reported in 2006, a 2000 horsepower "Green Goat" costs about $ 750,000, while an ordinary diesel shunting locomotive cost $ 450,000; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said, compared with a separate idle speed control arrangements for the cost of technology is even lower, only 3.3 million. Idle speed control of locomotive control technology is to control the speed at no load to save fuel technology. However, the U.S. Department of Energy E Gongna National Laboratory (ArgonneNationalLaboratory.) said in a report, "Green Goat" fuel efficiency than the latter two are much better.
The other train to greener technologies.
Hybrid power train is not the only vehicle for bringing this green technology. Some U.S. government agencies such as EPA and the Department of Energy is working with companies to develop low-sulfur diesel and bio-fuels. "Diesel Technology Forum," Allen Schaffer, executive director, said: "hybrid trains should be clean fuel, improve engine and emission control technology combination."
Meanwhile, all electrified passenger train era is quietly coming. However, Arnold Miller, President of vehicle engineering, said the cost of the expensive process of hindering the biggest stumbling block electric bus, in order to build a matching infrastructure, the cost per kilometer is about six million-8 million U.S. dollars.
Vladimir drawings, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the American Public Transportation Association, and other investors are being developed electric drive train program, which will allow trams in the railway and highway transportation get more applications.
General Electric Company, Mayfield said with confidence that: "hybrid is to make us into the field of alternative energy good way, and make us more efficient use of fuel resources. We are only just beginning, the future will be brighter. "