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7/16/2024
Compiled by Julie Sneider, Senior Editor
Hotstart auxiliary power units (APU) and shore power engine heaters are utilized when a locomotive is parked, whether in a yard or at a remote location. The systems are designed to help maintain the prime mover and oil at optimal temperatures during cold weather conditions, along with charging the locomotive batteries. The reduction in engine idling increases fuel savings and reduces wear and tear on locomotive engine components, Hotstart officials said in an email.
Furthermore, using a Hotstart system to keep locomotives warm eliminates issues such as wet stacking and greatly reduces AESS-related restarts, they added
The APU runs on diesel sourced from the locomotive, consuming an average of 0.5 gallons per hour. This is a significant reduction compared to the locomotive's standard consumption of four to five gallons per hour, according to Hotstart. The APU does not require shore power, allowing it to be utilized anywhere. Depending on the chosen configuration, additional features include an installation kit and cab heating.
Shore power systems use existing yard electricity, eliminating the need for diesel. These electric systems are simple, yet robust, with minimally needed maintenance, Hotstart officials said. The company supplies numerous configurations and heat outputs, providing an idle reduction solution for most locomotive applications.
One major industry focus is stringent air-emission regulations. Hotstart's idle reduction equipment can play a crucial role in helping railroads upgrade locomotives from Tier 0 to Tier 0+ standards, company officials said. Additionally, Hotstart's equipment is SmartWay-verified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which presents opportunities for increased grant funding.
New York Air Brake LLC (NYAB) offers LEADER®, an onboard train-control system that reduces energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 6% to 17%, according to NYAB. It also is recognized by the EPA as an energy-saving device and earns railroads EPA credits for carbon-dioxide reduction through their locomotive manufacturer, company officials said.
The system's foundation is an onboard computer with a database containing the track profile of a given trip (hills, curves, speed limits and distance) and the makeup of the consist (train length, weight, car types, car position, locomotive power and power distribution). Using GPS to pinpoint the location and exact speed of the train, LEADER software performs hundreds of simulations per second that predict train performance miles ahead.
It evaluates multiple train operating strategies and selects the strategy that's the best match for fuel economy, rail-car life and on-time schedule performance — thereby allowing for the running of longer trains or increased capacity utilization across the rail network, NYAB officials said.
LEADER is compliant with positive train control and responsive to enroute signal changes, changing weather conditions and locomotive performance. It also helps reduce the risk of coupler damage and train breakage, company officials said.
Deployed on more than 5,000 locomotives worldwide, LEADER was the first onboard energy management system for heavy-haul freight trains, the first onboard train-control system to demonstrate the ability to start and stop a freight train under the sole control of a computer, and the first autonomous heavy-haul train-control system (driverless train) in revenue service, they said.
The patented PowerHouse™ Hybrid from Power Drives Inc. is the newest model in the company's idle reduction/fuel savings technology lineup. The system heats the engine oil and circulates heated coolant through the locomotive engine block and cooling system to maintain a fluid temperature above 100 degrees F, allowing operators to eliminate idling in cold weather.
Idling locomotives use five to eight gallons of fuel per hour while the PowerHouse™ uses only 0.38 gallons per hour, company officials said.
The PowerHouse Hybrid model eliminates the need for either shore power or an additional engine as a power source. The PowerHouse Hybrid is powered directly from the locomotive battery bank and can run off the locomotive batteries for up to seven days without starting the engine. Alternatively, the Hybrid can be plugged into an external 120 VAC power source and will operate while charging the locomotive batteries.
More stringent regulatory restrictions on emissions, as well as cost savings resulting from reduced fuel consumption, are driving increased demand, according to Power Drives.
“Customer savings have surpassed the investment in as few as three months,” company officials said, adding that typical usage savings reaches more than 10,000 gallons of fuel in one season.
When it comes to solutions that work seamlessly together, Progress Rail provides a comprehensive suite of products dedicated to saving fuel, energy and money, company officials said.
Progress Rail's Talos™ Energy Management (EM) is train automation software designed to automatically — and more efficiently — control the throttle and dynamic brakes. Talos EM is the only energy management system leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to create customized strategies, managing and optimizing every mile of the journey, Progress Rail officials said.
Through this technology, customer deployments are experiencing a reduction in fuel consumption, lower in-train forces and more consistent train operation, they said. Talos also enables locomotive engineers to focus more on the overall situational awareness of the train's surroundings, which increases train safety.
In addition, Progress Rail offers NitroMP (Movement Planner) and NitroPacing (Pacing Back Office), which are designed to use machine learning and optimization tools to improve railroad network operations.
Connecting the movement plan to Talos train automation can further improve network efficiency and fluidity, Progress Rail officials said. During a “meet and pass” situation, Movement Planner can optimize the train's speed — and fuel consumption by Talos — thereby avoiding a delay caused by one train waiting for another, they said.
Meanwhile, the PowerView Sense unit connects to open power over an ethernet port on the PowerView network and enables ultrasonic fuel sensor readings while comparing acceleration data to create accurate tank volume measurements.
Effective fuel management is crucial for the efficient operation of railroads, directly influencing operational costs and environmental sustainability. Railhead's advanced fuel monitoring solution provides a comprehensive response to the industry's challenges, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to optimize fuel usage and address critical issues, company officials said.
At the core of Railhead's fuel management offerings is its high-precision ultrasonic fuel sensor. To ensure accuracy during motion, onboard accelerometers measure tilt and roll and apply a custom algorithm tuned to tank geometry to provide the highest level of precision. That precision is crucial for railroads to reduce waste, prevent overfilling and optimize refueling schedules in tax-friendly counties and states, company officials said.
Railhead Fuel Management Solution also has integrated geofencing capabilities into its system, enabling automated email alerts when vehicles consume fuel within predefined geographic boundaries. This helps with operational planning and can be used to send fuel invoices. By monitoring fuel consumption in specific areas, railroads can optimize route planning and resource allocation, thereby reducing unnecessary costs and improving overall efficiency, company officials said.
Railhead's solution is designed to seamlessly integrate with the license-free Railhead Management Software (RSM). This integration enhances decision-making processes by offering real-time insights into fuel usage trends and performance metrics synced to video footage when used in combination with Railhead's locomotive DVR system.
Furthermore, adding Event Recorder integration can show trends between driver behavior and fuel consumption, company officials said.
Railhead's fuel monitoring solution represents a significant advancement for the rail industry, addressing critical needs for accuracy, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. By leveraging ultrasonic sensors and geofencing technology, railroads can achieve greater operational control, minimize fuel-related risks, and save on fuel costs, Railhead officials said.
Fuel is a major factor in railroad operations, comprising — on average — 15% to 20% of operating expenses and 90% of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions. Technologies that reduce fuel consumption provide a win-win for the railroad and the environment by lowering operating costs and reducing carbon emissions, according to Wabtec.
Trip Optimizer™ is Wabtec's smart cruise-control system for trains that takes into account terrain, train make-up, speed restrictions and operating conditions to calculate an optimum speed profile. It is designed to automatically control the locomotive throttle and dynamic brakes to reduce fuel burn and provide efficient train handling.
Wabtec's modular system architecture allows for phased integration of enhanced train control and automation. This system architecture enables the integration of technologies ranging from Distributed Power to control longer trains with remotes running asynchronously; to Smart HPT that optimizes train performance by automatically reducing the horsepower per ton of the train; to Pacing that redistributes and optimizes the meet slack time on the network; to Auto Air Brake Control that increases the envelope during which Trip Optimizer operates. Trip Optimizer provides customers the ability to incrementally scale fuel savings to best meet their operational and environmental goals, Wabtec officials said.
Wabtec's Trip Optimizer recently surpassed 1 billion operational miles, delivering 752 million gallons of fuel savings and 7.7 million tons of GHG emissions reduction, company officials said.
ZTR's SmartStart has been reducing locomotive idling and delivering outstanding fuel savings, on a global scale, for over 30 years, according to the company. The latest SmartStart IIe is an advanced automatic engine stop-start (AESS) system that significantly reduces idle times and delivers notable fuel savings, with some systems saving up to 8,000 gallons per year, ZTR officials said.
SmartStart's primary function is its automatic control over the locomotive engine during idle periods. Utilizing advanced algorithms, SmartStart shuts down the engine when it is not in active use, continuously monitors critical parameters and restarts it when necessary.
SmartStart's expandable microprocessor technology is designed to support expanded system capabilities by selecting from a variety of optional features, such as the Extended Fuel Saver, Ditch Light and Load Shedding.
In addition to fuel savings, SmartStart ensures compliance with stringent EPA emission requirements, helping rail operators avoid potential penalties and reduce GHG emissions, ZTR officials said.
SmartStart offers capabilities for data monitoring and remote reporting facilitating data-driven decisions to optimize locomotive operations. This remote access enhances operational control and empowers rail operators with the insights needed to drive continuous improvement, according to ZTR.
SmartStart also provides a rapid return on investment, they added. Rail operators have reported annual savings exceeding $28,000 per locomotive, with a payback period as short as six months.
In addition, SmartStart improves locomotive availability by monitoring the engine health, preventing battery depletion and integrating with maintenance systems. It is available for almost all locomotive models, making it a versatile solution for diverse rail operations, ZTR officials said.
Email questions or comments to julie.sneider@tradepress.com.