Wabtec And Roy Hill Unveil The First FLXdrive Battery Locomotive

AnonW

Nov 1

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Wabtec.

This is the sub-heading.

World's first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul freight locomotive for mainline service

This is the first three paragraphs.

Wabtec and its launch customer, Roy Hill, a leading iron ore miner majority owned by Australia's most successful private company, Hancock Prospecting, have celebrated the debut of the FLXdrive battery locomotive, the world's first 100% battery-powered, heavy-haul locomotive for mainline service. The ceremony unveiled the unique, striking pink-colored locomotive at Wabtec's design and development center in Pennsylvania in front of employees, customer executives, and government and community officials.

"This FLXdrive locomotive represents a major step in the journey to a low-to-zero-emission future in the rail industry," said Rafael Santana, President & CEO of Wabtec. "The FLXdrive is driven from within by our battery technology and the innovative spirit of our employees. Roy Hill is an ideal customer to partner with given their leadership and excellent operational record."

Roy Hill's FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive will feature an energy capacity of 7 megawatt hours (MWh). Based on the route and company's rail operations, the FLXdrive is anticipated to provide a double-digit percentage reduction in fuel costs and emissions per train. Once Wabtec completes the final battery installations and track testing, the locomotive will begin its 17,000-kilometer (10,500-mile) journey in 2024 for delivery to its new home in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, one of the world's premier mining precincts.

These further two paragraphs outline the operation of the locomotive.

The FLXdrive locomotive represents not only a first for the Pilbara, but a first for the mining industry. The technological smarts that have gone into the development of the loco makes it well suited for our rail network. By using regenerative braking, it will charge its battery on the 344 kilometer (214 mile) downhill run from our mine to port facility and use that stored energy to return to the mine, starting the cycle all over again. This will not only enable us to realise energy efficiencies but also lower operating costs."

Today, Roy Hill uses four Wabtec ES44ACi "Evolution Series" diesel-electric locomotives in a consist to pull trains that are typically 2,700 meters (1.6 miles) in length carrying more than 33,000 tonnes of iron ore. The addition of the FLXdrive will form a hybrid locomotive consist with Wabtec diesel-electric locomotives, and recharge during the trip through regenerative braking. The FLXdrive manages the overall train energy flow and distribution through its state-of-the-art energy management software. It is also designed with a unique battery thermal management system using liquid cooling to withstand the Pilbara heat, where temperatures can reach 55°C (130°F).

I have some thoughts.

Could Class 66 Locomotives Be Converted Into Battery-Electric Locomotives?

I answered this question fully in Could Class 66 Locomotives Be Converted Into Battery-Electric Locomotives? a couple of years ago and came to this conclusion.

I am not a lover of the smelly, noisy and polluting diesel Class 66 locomotives, but it does look it could be possible to convert some into battery-electric locomotives.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Wabtec convert some Class 66 locomotives into battery-electric locomotives.

I also believe, that conversion of Class 66 locomotives to battery-electric operation could be the most affordable way to help decarbonise rail freight.

Note.

Class 68 locomotives could probably also be converted.
The battery-electric locomotives would either be used singly or in conjunction with diesel-electric locomotives as Roy Hill propose to do.

After the launch of Wabtec's first production locomotive, I wouldn't be surprised to find that some of the UK's freight operators are talking to Wabtec.

Could A Battery-Electric Class 66 locomotive Work With An Electric Locomotive?

This picture shows, what could be an experiment by Freightliner at Shenfield.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to ask the driver, if the Class 66 locomotive was running dead-in-train or helping the Class 90 locomotive with a very heavy load.

The picture shows, that the electric and diesel locomotives can work together, at the front of a train.

Consider.

The battery-electric locomotive would be used, where there is no electrification.
The battery-electric locomotive could be charged by the electric locomotive or regenerative braking.

It could be an interesting way to handle some freight routes in the UK.