This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
5/15/2024
Compiled by Pat Foran, Editor-in-Chief
Locomotives are technology hotbeds on wheels. A range of systems that collect and transmit remote, data-driven, real-time operational intelligence help railroads increase system availability, reduce on-track failures and improve efficiency.
And rail industry suppliers continue to nudge the technology needle, often in collaboration with the railroads they serve.
For an update on said nudging, we recently reached out to a cross-section of locomotive builders and technology providers. Responses from eight of them follow.
A subsidiary of A. Stucki Co., American Turbocharger Technologies (ATT) specializes in locomotive turbocharger remanufacturing and other industrial repair services.
The company uses automated wash and shot blast machines during teardown and preparation of turbocharger cores. The process reduces turnaround times while ensuring the cores are free of primer, paint, carbon buildup and other debris, company officials said.
“It’s faster and more thorough than what a manual labor position could achieve and enables us to meet and exceed our customers' expectations from both a cost and delivery standpoint,” said Jimmy May, ATT's general manager.
CNC vertical milling results in precise alignment when marrying pieces of the doweling assembly, ensuring the flatness of mating surfaces and concentricity of bores.
“Our goal is to prevent misalignments by exceeding OEM specs,” said May. “This results in a better product by essentially eliminating any vibration in rotor assemblies or other rotating internal parts.”
Calibrated dynamic balancing of rotating assemblies, which is conducted in-house, provides ATT total control over the quality of the end product, said May.
Brookville Equipment Corp. manufactures freight and passenger locomotives that are “built with quality and safety first,” company officials said.
Recently, Brookville created a fully autonomous, all-electric locomotive able to withstand the toughest of conditions and extreme hot and cold temperatures — down to -54° F, company officials said.
The demand for efficient and sustainable freight solutions in today's market is soaring, and rail transport — increasingly preferred as industries strive to reduce carbon footprints and streamline logistics — aligns with this trend, according to Greenbrier. In response, the company's innovative hoppers offer a greener alternative, ensuring reliability and cost-efficiency, Greenbrier officials said.
A “leading-edge technology product,” the locomotive can be delivered efficiently and effectively, officials said.
Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) manufactures application-specific, lithium-ion battery-electric propulsion systems for locomotives. The Buy America compliant, zero-emission solutions balance horsepower, onboard energy and charging to match specific customer needs, company officials said.
Performance features include automated charging in one hour (or plug-in charging in four hours); complete integration design with ballasting for tractive effort enhancement; remote diagnostics, less energy and maintenance; up to 5,000 horsepower; up to 5 MWh of onboard energy; regenerative braking; consistent performance in any climate; and a range up to 125 miles.
Switcher solutions also allow for the less frequent need for recharging – the result of its efficient proprietary battery design, company officials said. The batteries have a 12-year lifecycle with unlimited charging capability; repowers are subcontracted at Motive Power Resources (Illinois), PowerRail (Georgia) and RailCar Co. (Louisiana), or at a customer’s qualified facility.
IRT’s customers include US Steel Corp., Nucor Steel Corp., Cando Rail Services, Dominion Energy/US Army, Palmetto Railways and a “growing list of both railroads and industries featuring yard and regional operations,” company officials said.
Integral Control Systems, offered exclusively by PowerRail, furnishes high-quality products tailored for locomotive repowering projects, such as hydrogen fuel cell or battery-electric conversions. As the rail industry undergoes rapid modernization, Integral Control Systems supports these conversions, assisting to lower operating costs and enhance operational efficiencies, company officials said.
Integral’s Locomotive Control System (LCC) is a card-based control system designed to meet evolving industry demands with flexible and scalable hardware and firmware, streamlining communication and performance. Equipped with Operating Parameter Configuration, the user can safely adjust key common control points without costly firmware updates, company officials said.
The LCC features a space-saving design and is compatible with new power conversion technologies, or to upgrade and replace older legacy systems. The direct sense interface uses fewer panels and real-time remote monitoring to ensure optimal performance and timely interventions, company officials said.
Adaptable full color, touch screen in-cab LDU displays, available in either 8- or 12-inch options, offer versatility with AAR, LSI, and UIC layouts, and fully integrate with electronic air brakes and other systems such as distributed power, RCL or EOT/HOT.
The latest sensing technology enhances reliability and simplifies troubleshooting through independently isolated signal channels, minimizing faults and downtime, company officials said, adding that seamless integration with electronic air brakes ensures safety and precision in braking operations.
Progress Rail's Talos™ energy management system leverages machine learning and computing power to analyze and optimize train routes. By adapting to train behavior, Talos delivers higher fuel savings, reduced emissions, improved train handling for safer operation and increased network capacity, company officials said.
For full optimization, AESS™ (the company's automatic engine start/stop solution) monitors critical operating parameters during locomotive idle operation, safely and effectively shutting down the engine once all factors are satisfied.
As customers leverage operational data to reinvent how railroads run, the PR Uptime™ suite moves from time- to condition-based maintenance, reduces costs and increases productivity to manage operations more effectively, company officials said.
Advanced asset monitoring combined with expertise from Progress Rail's Locomotive Monitoring Center offers customized reports and streamlined data delivery. The platform seamlessly integrates within existing day-to-day processes and offers coverage for the complete rail network, company officials said.
Railhead’s LED headlights are designed to significantly reduce maintenance demands. Unlike traditional halogen bulbs, LED technology provides “exceptional longevity” with Railhead's patented heat sink design, company officials said.
The design translates to fewer instances of burned-out bulbs and critical maintenance downtime, they said.
Designed to offer superior versatility, the headlights function seamlessly in both headlight and ditch light locations, eliminating the need for separate bulbs or complex smart boxes, streamlining installation and ongoing maintenance. In addition, Railhead's LED technology generates a cleaner, more focused light beam than halogen bulbs produce, company officials said.
The LED headlights also are designed to operate within a safe temperature range, remaining cool enough to minimize the risk of burn injuries for maintenance crews during bulb changes or inspections. The controlled heat generation is sufficient enough to melt snow and ice accumulation, helping with visibility in harsh winter conditions.
The low current draw of 0.65 amps minimizes strain on a locomotive's electrical system, helping to reduce fuel costs, company officials said.
Wabtec Corp.'s locomotive portfolio includes the FLXdrive™, the world's first 100% battery-electric, heavy-haul locomotive, company officials said.
FLXdrive is designed to operate in a consist with diesel locomotives, creating a hybrid setup. In this configuration, the FLXdrive can provide double-digit fuel savings and emission reductions, company officials said.
The locomotive features liquid-cooled battery technology and a proprietary thermal management system developed to optimize energy output and battery life. The modular and scalable battery architecture is designed to integrate across multiple rail vehicles and environments, including heavy-haul, yard, regional, commuter, hybrid and specialty locomotives.
Charging the FLXdrive can be completed while the unit is in operation along a given route using regenerative braking. The flexible charging infrastructure allows for charging at rail yards or other equipped locations, company officials said.
ZTR's NEXSYS III-i is an advanced control system designed to improve locomotive traction, fuel efficiency and reliability. The microprocessor-powered system incorporates the latest technologies, offers advanced control options and delivers performance improvements that significantly extend the life of locomotives, company officials said.
Locomotives equipped with a NEXSYS III-i control system have demonstrated improved adhesion by up to 44% on dry rails and up to 29% on wet rails, they said. The system comes integrated with ZTR's SmartStart automatic engine stop-start system, enabling annual fuel savings up to 8,000 gallons per locomotive.
NEXSYS III-i seamlessly integrates with the existing on-board network and business systems, providing remote connectivity for real-time information about locomotive health, performance, location and diagnostics.
The advanced control system provides insights into fuel consumption, emissions, utilization, propulsion and starting performance. Featuring an intuitive Human-Machine Interface display, NEXSYS III-i provides operators with real-time information of locomotive parameters, control functions and system troubleshooting.
Email questions or comments to pat.foran@tradepress.com.