The World's First All-Electric Locomotive

1. Spunky Monkey
   October 8th, 2009 at 3:32 pm

   Errm. Just a small point, but battery locos have been around for about a century.

2. Negerpelle
   October 8th, 2009 at 6:02 pm

   As usual you guys mean USA when you say "the world" Wait a second...OMGNOES!!!! I just realised there is actually intellegent life outside the world!! We are doooomed!!

   Whats more? They have been running "all-electric" powered locomotives for about 100 years now and they recognize that the significance about this particular locomotive is that it is battery powered. Nothing more, nothing less.

3. angstrom
   October 8th, 2009 at 7:19 pm

   yep, this story really baffles me

4. Juice
   October 8th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

   So basically, it still runs on coal.

5. whitcwa
   October 8th, 2009 at 8:27 pm

   "The recovered dynamic braking energy continually replenishes the energy storage system, and uses this recovered energy for tractive effort in rail operation"

   I guess that means it is always braking and efforting at the same time.

6. Alex
   October 8th, 2009 at 9:29 pm

   This'll explain it:

   

7. Alan
   October 8th, 2009 at 11:16 pm

   Most electric trains get their power via overhead guide-wires or from the tracks. That way the big power source can be at one location, easily transmitting power at the speed of light to the train, which only moves itself.
   But this battery train has to produce enough power to move itself PLUS enough power to move the big power source (that is, several tons of lead and acid).

   Looks like a step backwards, folks. A really bad idea.

8. K!P
   October 9th, 2009 at 4:47 am

   The only plus side i can think of is that you dont need overhead wires, Besides that nothing new.

9. Sue Dunham
   October 9th, 2009 at 6:16 am

   As an aside, all diesel train engins are, in fact, electric. The diesel powers an electric motor which powers the train. If it were like a diesel truck it would need about 200 gears.

10. ted
    October 9th, 2009 at 7:00 am

    Alex, I have to call "shopped" on that picture of yours. Although it looks so real...

11. Marge
    October 9th, 2009 at 11:16 am

    If the USA knew the meaning of investing in railways then this would be unnecessary - electrification being over a century old.

    Whenever I despair about the state of the railways in the UK I look at the USA and go "yeah, it could actually be worse...".

12. Spunky Monkey
    October 9th, 2009 at 12:44 pm

    @ K!P

    You've pretty much hit the nail on the head there. When the overhead cables or third rail are out, you may need batteries. The battery powered electric loco was first used AFAIK on electric railways such as the London underground when the power to the third rail was off. When the power is out parts and machinery may need to be moved to repair the fault, so a loco is required that needs no external power source and you don't want steam or diesel power in an underground railway. I'm sure such locos have been used on underground railways in the US as well.

    On surface railways there seems to be very little point.

    I bet it takes a long time to recharge too.

13. Padraig
    October 10th, 2009 at 6:46 am

    And it goes how fast?

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