Can trains run "greener"?

Question

I noticed that freight and commuter trains leave a ton of soot both in the air and on everything within a short distance. There's so much emphasis on cars and suv's going hybrid, even diesels and how they're supposed to be turned off when running idle for longer periods. Would it be wrong or impossible for the government to require locomotives to run cleaner. Where can I take my idea, where it would be considered seriously?

Answer 1

In addition to the more fuel-efficient GEVOs mentioned by Jarniel, General Electric is also road-testing a hybrid version of the GEVO right now:  http://www.getransportation.com/na/en/do...

The Hybrid GEVO has banks of batteries mounted under the walkways to recapture the energy lost during braking--  Instead of dissipating the electricity generated from dynamic braking through the DB heating grid, it stores the electricity in batteries instead for later use.  It is expected to be 15% more efficient than the regular GEVOs currently in service.

Answer 2

In New York City, MTA NYC Subways are purchasing new order of R-142, R-143, R-160 and MTA MNRR/LIRR/Staten Island Railway are planning to ride M8 cars, well as M7 cars which is new environmental technology train.

Even the Port Authority Trans Hudson are purchasing new PATH that similar to R-143, but it is called PA-5.

Even buses are trying to get new Low-Floor Articulated Bus, Low Floor Hybrid and CNG bus.

Answer 3

Locomotives run a lot greener then they did a few years ago, they have emission standards imposed on them same as other vehicles.



Your idea is about 20 years late.

Railroads move freight for less then 1/4 the fuel as trucks so the dirtiest train out there is many times cleaner than putting the same amount of freight on the highways behind semi-trucks.

Electric railroads will be re-introduced, not immediatly sad to say.

Hybrid as used in automotive tehcnology would be impractical in through freight or cross country service as the batteries could not possibly be large enough to provide over a mile or so of pulling power.

However, hybrid switching locomotives are showing great promise in their prototype models, the constant stop/start service is perfect for hybrid technology.

Answer 4

Yes. Trains can run on electricity with electric locomotives.

Answer 5

If you're talking about the U.S, trains are running greener. Starting in 2006( or was it 05), General Electric came up with a 12 cylinder engine, that has the horsepower output of a 16 cylinder engine. These locomotives are called GEVO's. With gas as high as it is a lot of locomotives are runnig cold instead of running on idle the entire time it's not being used. Also, class 1's are running newer power more often than the engines that are 20+ years old.THe federal government has also increased its standards on disels, which brought about the GEVO engine.

Answer 6

Yes, it's possible to have diesel locos with cleaner lower emission engines.This is already happening in Britain and Europe. Many of the current diesel locomotives in use have been imported from General Motors in Canada. They have to comply with stringent emission regulations currently in force.

I'd suggest lobbying your Senator or even joining a pressure group to get similar laws passed by the US Federal Government.

Answer 7

There is quite a bit of work going on with soot with respect to cars.  I would expect to see that carry over at some point to the railroad.

Trains are already hybrids, but I guess you know that.  They have been since the 1940's.

Answer 8

No doubt they can, but here in the UK the DEFRA guidelines for reporting greenhouse gas emissions give the following figures:

Plane - 0.13kg CO2 per km - (short haul)

Car - 0.20 kg CO2 per km - (average petrol car)

Train - 0.06 kg CO2 per km