Wabtec 3000

digimar52 Nov 24, 2020

  1. digimar52

    digimar52 TrainBoard Member

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    Last year I've read some articles like this https://www.railjournal.com/locomot...to-trial-battery-electric-locomotive-in-2020/ about plans of testings Wabtec's battery powered engine on BNSF between Stockton and Barstow during 2020.

    Now it's running in Indiana instead, as can be seen at Virtual Railfan at 20:20 and going opposit again at 28:10.

    What's the reason? I could imagine the engine isn't stable enough to go too far away from the factory. Or maybe the charging station at Stockton isn't ready yet.

    Does one of you know more?
     
    Kurt Moose likes this.
  2. rch

    rch TrainBoard Member

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    It's being moved to California.
     
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  3. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I can see this type of unit being useful in short haul, local service in places where smog and emissions are very tightly controlled (California is a case in point), but little use in cold climates & road service. In cold climates, batteries struggle to maintain a charge. Not sure how they would surmount this issue in cold climates.
     
    ddm502001 likes this.
  4. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    I don't know, but I'd want to know how my invention performed in different service, on different grade profiles, and in different weather conditions.
     
    ddm502001 likes this.
  5. digimar52

    digimar52 TrainBoard Member

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    You were right. It passed Belen on a WB last week, as can be seen here:
     
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  6. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I wonder about more than the batteries. Such as how well modern traction motors, generators, etc, will fare in cold? I do know that on the MILW, with their old DC system, their electric motors actually performed very, very well. In fact increased in efficiency. Will this generation be good, too?
     
    ddechamp71 likes this.
  7. digimar52

    digimar52 TrainBoard Member

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    As I understand it, this is just basic GEVO parts - e.g. frame, alternator, trucks and cab. They "only" removed engine, generator, and tank and filled every empty space with many, many tiny batteries. The battery power is fed into the alternator and the rest is working as usual. So apart from the battery performance I wouldn't expect mayor differences from other GEVO units.

    Of course it's not as simple as descibed above. For instance there will have to be a completly different cooling system. And the energy generated by dynamic braking will be fed back to the batteries. But I think the general picture is correct.
     
  8. ddechamp71

    ddechamp71 TrainBoard Member

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    Would be curious to know what kind of range one can expect with such an unit, provided there's no battery loading with a matching diesel-electric unit.

    Let's say, a BNSF freight starts from Long Beach Harbor with only Wabtecs 3000 at the point and as helpers, bound for San Bernardino/Cajon/Victorville/Daggett and further on eastbound. Units' batteries are fully loaded at departure. Where the train's gonna stall, its units having their batteries fully depleted ?

    And furthermore, if there is no matching diesel-electric unit, what is implemented in order to load these units' batteries ?

    Sorry, I didn't watch the videos, I've not too much time.. :)

    Dom
     
  9. rch

    rch TrainBoard Member

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    These units aren't intended for any corridor other than Stockton to Barstow, California. The terrain of the corridor provides recharging opportunities as the units descend the hills in addition to a dedicated charging facility.
     

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