![Green and white locomotive](https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/TRN_OmniTrax_battery_locomotive.jpg)
CLEVELAND — OmniTRAX’s Newburgh & South Shore has purchased a battery-electric locomotive, becoming the first short line in Ohio to deploy such a unit.
The GP9-based locomotive from AMPS Traction features 1,700 gross horsepower, reduces fuel consumption by half, and cuts NOx emissions and particulate matter by 77%, removing 4.2 tones of nitrogen oxide from the atmosphere. The locomotive was funded with a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Mitigation Trust Fund.
“OmniTRAX is committed to operate safely and responsibly in the communities we serve, and AMPS Traction’s innovative technology is an important addition to our fleet and an important step for our industry,” OmniTRAX CEO Dean Piacente said in a press release. “We are thankful to Gov. [Mike] DeWine and Ohio EPA for their commitment to clean air and the grant program that has made this emission-saving equipment upgrade possible in our Ohio operations.”
The Newburgh & South Shore, originally built to serve Cleveland-area steel mills, operates 5 route-miles and 13 track-miles in the Cleveland area.
According to the Amps website 3380 is a hybrid genset locomotive.
Haven’t we been down this road already with the Green Goat?
Is this really battery electric or battery hybrid. It is a very confusing press release. The fuel consumption is only cut by half and the NOx and particulates are reduced by 77%. This does not sound full electric. But they just aren’t clear on this calling it a battery electric when it sounds like it should be battery hybrid.
I interpret the numbers as the emissions created by the electrical utility generating the power used to recharge the batteries compared with the emissions from a conventional diesel-electric. As the electrical utility increases the amount of clean power generated the locomotive becomes “cleaner” too.
The nice thing about electric locomotives, cars and trucks is they don’t produce emissions at the point of use so city downtowns with congested traffic won’t present a breathing hazard to pedestrians on the sidewalks.
“…reduces fuel consumption by half, and cuts NOx emissions and particulate matter by 77%, removing 4.2 tones of nitrogen oxide from the atmosphere”. As compared to what exactly? I would think fuel consumption would be reduced to zero unless you are counting the fuel used to recharge the batteries. So does it come with some sort of fuel powered generator? Or is this just the typical meaningless propaganda numbers we are used to seeing?
I know when NASCR is forced to run electric race cars, that’s where I will draw the line!
What line is that? Electric cars out-accelerate gas engines (even the steroid-stoked NASC(A)R ones). And no fueling during pitstops, either
But I guess you’re one of those who goes to the races simply to watch the crashes, be deafened by the noise, and made tipsy by partial asphyxiation by the fumes. To each his own, I guess.
Interesting how well it performs