A battery-operated locomotive promises to unleash no emissions during its operation, aside from emissions associated with charging its massive batteries.
A prototype 1,500-horsepower switching locomotive from Norfolk Southern Corp. relies on 1,080 12-volt batteries, reports the Boston Herald. Fully charged, it can operate for three shifts.
The NS 999 locomotive also uses its brakes for regenerative electricity. That element of the locomotive was developed by Brookville Equipment Co.
The introduction of an emissions-free switching locomotive can help urban railyards keep pollution in check. A planned intermodal facility in the Kansas City area has come under heavy criticism because of emissions that would be produced there.
Norfolk Southern cooperated with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Federal Railroad Administration and Penn State in developing the prototype, which benefited from a $1.3 million federal grant, according to a press release.
