Railroads and the Pickens Plan
Railroads run on electrical motors. Some transit systems use a “hot grid” to power these motors, with an electrified cable or “third rail.” Long-haul railroad engine electrical motors are powered by generators run by diesel engines, which could use bio-diesel, processed from soybean oil, waste oil/polymers, and/or algae. Soybeans enrich the soil in which they are grown, and algae can be grown from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Ultimately, we would be using our own sustainable resources to stop the energy trade deficit that has devastated our economy and weakened our national security for almost four decades.
Passenger rail service includes urban rail transit systems, as well as city-to-city networks traveling over existing conventional tracks, or using high-speed “bullet train” technology. All Aboard Ohio! and the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce are working toward linking the Mid-West and East Coast passenger rail networks with a Cleveland-Youngstown-Pittsburgh connection.
Freight transportation is the bloodstream of our economy, moving raw materials and products to where they are needed. The volume of foreign oil used for freight transportation must surpass every other category combined, and without a self-contained, sustainable fuel supply, we are bleeding our wealth every day we convert imported oil into diesel fuel. Price spikes add cost to everything that everyone buys, and have put too many truckers in debt, or out of business.
Railroads must play a central role in restructuring our economy for energy independence, using a network of strategically placed rail-truck terminals. Trucking would still be essential for local/regional deliveries, and for express-delivery "hot freight," but we need to use railroads as the standard for long-haul tonnage. Having managed freight shipping (trailerload contract carriers, LTL common carriers, UPS, and intermodal truck-rail-ocean) for manufacturers, I have experienced the savings of using railroads.
Rail-truck intermodal shipping containers are the most cost-effective inland transportation system on the market. Fifteen years ago I was able to save $300-400 per "48x102" trailerload, using intermodal shipping containers to supply my customers in New York, shipping from Tupelo, MS through the Memphis, TN intermodal rail terminal. Diesel fuel retailed for about $0.75 per gallon back then, causing intermodal cost savings to multiply with the cost of imported oil.
Since returning to Ohio, I have been advocating the construction of a regional rail-truck intermodal shipping container terminal in the Youngstown area. This idea has gained support with our regional transportation planning and economic development organizations, and I am now involved with discussions about site selection, engineering, and funding.
So much for my experience and insights, I want to hear about yours. This group was created for anybody with an interest in railroads as a solution for our energy and economy.
Views: 17
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ron Everitt on -
good plans,real good...
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Permalink Reply by Ron Everitt on
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I think too that not enough is being done with railroads,to include human cargo:)
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Permalink Reply by neil cox on -
~My comments are enclosed in~ Railroads for passengers and freight must be part of the solution ~yes we must continue to get benefits from past investment, but new investment should be avoid, except in niche situations~ with the energy cost savings from this efficient mode ~low speed water transportation, where practical is more efficient~ of transportation.
Railroads run on electrical motors. ~True but they don't have to/ triple energy conversion is typically less efficient than double energy conversion = fuel to motion~ Some transit systems use a “hot grid” to power these motors, with an electrified cable or “third rail.~the monorail at Disney World uses 11,000 volts at a maximum of 40 miles per hour/ higher and more dangerous voltage is needed for high speed bullet trains~ ” Long-haul railroad engine electrical motors are powered by generators run by diesel engines, which could use bio-diesel, processed from soybean oil, waste oil/polymers, and/or algae. Algae can be grown from wastewater treatment plant effluent. Ultimately, we would be using our own sustainable resources to stop the energy trade deficit that has devastated our economy and weakened our national security for almost four decades.
Passenger rail service includes urban rail transit systems, as well as city-to-city networks traveling over existing conventional tracks, or using high-speed “bullet train” technology.~Passenger service has operated at a loss with rare exception in the USA for the last 60 years/ the reasons need to be corrected to attract investors especially in the present recession. Neil~
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Permalink Reply by Ronald Wagner on -
I love railroads, but my passion is natural gas. Russia has developed the most powerful locomotive in the world. It runs on natural gas. We can shift in that direction also. I am talking LNG. Natural gas can be shipped to out of the way places on railroads also.
Natural gas is the future of energy. It is replacing dirty and dangerous coal and nuclear plants. It is producing the electricity for electric cars. It will directly fuel pickup trucks, vans, buses, long haul trucks, dump trucks, locomotives, aircraft, ships etc. It will keep us out of more useless wars, where we shed our blood and money. Here are over 150 recent links for you: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NbaKYme3bqOw0b6KMxXSjOLHLNeflalPy9gIAiTYFMQ/edit
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Permalink Reply by J Jay Pirko on -
Thank you, Ronald Wagner, for this info on the Russian LNG-powered locomotives.
Being from Youngstown Ohio, in the Utica/Marcellus shale gas region, I am for anything that will help our emerging shale gas industry. Developing new technologies to use natural gas will not only replace imported petroleum, but will als create the demand required to keep natural gas prices from crashing and stifling this industry.
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