RailPower Technologies
Encyclopedia
Railpower Technologies Corp. is a subsidiary of R.J. Corman Railroad Group
that builds environmentally friendly
hybrid
and genset yard locomotive
s, founded by Frank Donnelly and Gerard Koldyk. Its "Green Goat" locomotives have been purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway
, BNSF Railway
, Kansas City Southern Railway
and Union Pacific Railroad
among others.
, British Columbia
, and incorporated an automotive propulsion system into a new hybrid yard locomotive, dubbed the "Green Goat." The unit was built off the frame of an EMD GP9
, and was powered by a 130-hp diesel engine charging a bank of 320 lead-acid batteries, producing 2,000-hp. This first unit underwent extensive testing and demonstration in both Canada and the United States for a year, in conjunction with a smaller 1,000-hp unit, called the "Green Kid." The demonstrations were a success, and combined with the introduction of government programs providing assistance to railroads introducing low-emissions locomotives, provided impetus for railroads to adopt Railpower's design, particularly in areas such as Texas and California, where such laws were particularly stringent. Initially, Railpower's products were well received, and the company had 175 total orders by late 2005, consisting of both the original hybrid locomotives and newer genset locomotives, which have multiple engines operating in tandem and have the capability to selectively shut down engines to reduce fuel consumption.
Despite the company's early success, sales soon dropped off, largely because of reliability issues with the locomotives (one customer, Canadian Pacific, returned its order due to unsatisfactory performance) and a general slowdown in sales of switching locomotives. As a result of the drop-off in sales, Railpower entered bankruptcy in early 2009, and was purchased by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group
during the summer of the same year.
announced that it had completed its acquisition of Railpower's assets, although none of the company's liabilities. As a result of the acquisition, customers of Railpower were forced to renegotiate servicing contracts with Corman, as the warranties on the locomotives ceased when the old company was purchased.
Corman plans to market genset locomotives exclusively, although company executives have not ruled out hybrid locomotives, saying that though they haven't been abandoned, they are not a priority. Since Railpower's acquisition, the company has delivered just two locomotives, although according to Corman, proposals have been issued for up to 50 locomotives during the next few years, and the company is confident that orders will resume.
Their locomotive models include the Green Goat (GG) and Green Kid (GK) series. Created from older locomotives, these units are deployed in services where there is a lot of idle time, such as yard switching. Below the frame they are the same as their pre-recycled locomotive. Above the frame they are new, with all new hood and cab assemblies . A small generator and a large bank of batteries power the locomotive. The generator is used to recharge the batteries. The locomotives meet the new EPA exhaust emissions standards. Currently production includes the GG10B, GG20B, and GK10B locomotives. The "B" indicates B-B wheel arrangement
the "10" or "20" signifies 1,000 or 2,000 horsepower
respectively.
Currently on the market are the RP20BH (two-engine hybrid) and RP20BD (three engine diesel) locomotives for light road duties. The "B" or "C" in the model number signifies B-B , or C-C wheel arrangement
, with the "14", "20" or "27" signifing 1,400 2,000 or 2,700 horsepower
respectively. Some of the units built for BNSF have virtually no cab at all, as BNSF specified the locomotives to be equipped with remote control technology.
s (RTG
) used in port terminals (trademarked "EcoPower").
R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a railroad holding company owned by Richard J. "Rick" Corman. Corman first established the company in 1973. It owns short-line railroad lines in seven states .-Lines Owned:R.J. Corman operates the following subsidiaries:*R.J...
that builds environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
hybrid
Hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...
and genset yard locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, founded by Frank Donnelly and Gerard Koldyk. Its "Green Goat" locomotives have been purchased by Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, Kansas City Southern Railway
Kansas City Southern Railway
The Kansas City Southern Railway , owned by Kansas City Southern Industries, is the smallest and second-oldest Class I railroad company still in operation. KCS was founded in 1887 and is currently operating in a region consisting of ten central U.S. states...
and Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
among others.
As an independent company
The company was founded in 2001 in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and incorporated an automotive propulsion system into a new hybrid yard locomotive, dubbed the "Green Goat." The unit was built off the frame of an EMD GP9
EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
, and was powered by a 130-hp diesel engine charging a bank of 320 lead-acid batteries, producing 2,000-hp. This first unit underwent extensive testing and demonstration in both Canada and the United States for a year, in conjunction with a smaller 1,000-hp unit, called the "Green Kid." The demonstrations were a success, and combined with the introduction of government programs providing assistance to railroads introducing low-emissions locomotives, provided impetus for railroads to adopt Railpower's design, particularly in areas such as Texas and California, where such laws were particularly stringent. Initially, Railpower's products were well received, and the company had 175 total orders by late 2005, consisting of both the original hybrid locomotives and newer genset locomotives, which have multiple engines operating in tandem and have the capability to selectively shut down engines to reduce fuel consumption.
Despite the company's early success, sales soon dropped off, largely because of reliability issues with the locomotives (one customer, Canadian Pacific, returned its order due to unsatisfactory performance) and a general slowdown in sales of switching locomotives. As a result of the drop-off in sales, Railpower entered bankruptcy in early 2009, and was purchased by the R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a railroad holding company owned by Richard J. "Rick" Corman. Corman first established the company in 1973. It owns short-line railroad lines in seven states .-Lines Owned:R.J. Corman operates the following subsidiaries:*R.J...
during the summer of the same year.
As subsidiary of R.J. Corman Railroad Group
On June 18, 2009, R.J. Corman Railroad GroupR.J. Corman Railroad Group
R.J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a railroad holding company owned by Richard J. "Rick" Corman. Corman first established the company in 1973. It owns short-line railroad lines in seven states .-Lines Owned:R.J. Corman operates the following subsidiaries:*R.J...
announced that it had completed its acquisition of Railpower's assets, although none of the company's liabilities. As a result of the acquisition, customers of Railpower were forced to renegotiate servicing contracts with Corman, as the warranties on the locomotives ceased when the old company was purchased.
Corman plans to market genset locomotives exclusively, although company executives have not ruled out hybrid locomotives, saying that though they haven't been abandoned, they are not a priority. Since Railpower's acquisition, the company has delivered just two locomotives, although according to Corman, proposals have been issued for up to 50 locomotives during the next few years, and the company is confident that orders will resume.
Green Goat Hybrid switchers
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
the "10" or "20" signifies 1,000 or 2,000 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
respectively.
| Model Designation | Wheel Arrangement | Build Year | Total Produced | Power Output | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GGS2000D "Emerald" | B-B | 2001 | 1 (prototype) | 1490kW (2,000-hp) | |
| GG20B Railpower GG20B The Railpower GG20B Green Goat is a low-emissions diesel hybrid switcher locomotive built by Railpower Technologies Corp. It is powered by a single Caterpillar C9 I6 engine developing , which is also connected to a large battery bank where both sources combine for a total power output of... "Green Goat" |
B-B | 2004-present | 55 | 1490kW (2,000-hp) |  |
| GG10B "Green Goat" | B-B | 2005-present | 6 | 746kW (1,000-hp) | |
| GK10B "Green Kid" | B-B | 2005-present | 4 | 746kW (1,000-hp) |
Genset Locomotives
Railpower also produces a series of "Genset" type locomotives, which are powered by between 2 and 4 smaller diesel engines each. The engines are computer controlled, with the computer stopping and starting engines on a rotating basis, as required to produce the horsepower needed at any given moment.Currently on the market are the RP20BH (two-engine hybrid) and RP20BD (three engine diesel) locomotives for light road duties. The "B" or "C" in the model number signifies B-B , or C-C wheel arrangement
Wheel arrangement
In rail transport, a wheel arrangement is a system of classifying the way in which wheels are distributed beneath a locomotive.. Several notations exist to describe the wheel assemblies of a locomotive by type, position, and connections, with the adopted notations varying by country...
, with the "14", "20" or "27" signifing 1,400 2,000 or 2,700 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
respectively. Some of the units built for BNSF have virtually no cab at all, as BNSF specified the locomotives to be equipped with remote control technology.
| Model Designation | Wheel Arrangement | Build Year | Total Produced | Power Output | # of engines | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RP20BH (Hybrid) | B-B | 2006-present | 1 (prototype) | 1490kW (2,000-hp) | 2 | |
| RP20BD Railpower RP20BD The RP20BD is a diesel-electric switcher locomotive built by Railpower Technologies. It is a "genset" locomotive, having three engine-generator sets.... (Genset) |
B-B | 2006-present | 116 | 1490kW (2,000-hp) | 3 | |
| RP14BD Railpower RP14BD The RP14BD is a diesel-electric switcher locomotive built by Railpower Technologies. It is a "genset" locomotive, having two engine-generator sets.... |
B-B | 2008-present | 8 | 1140kW (1,400-hp) | 2 | |
| RP20CD Railpower RP20CD The RP20CD is a diesel-electric road switcher locomotive built by Railpower Technologies. It is a "genset" locomotive, having three engine-generator sets.... |
C-C | 2007-present | 6 | 1490kW (2,000-hp) | 3 |  |
| RP27CD | C-C | 2009- | 0 | 1990kW (2,667-hp) | 4 |
Cranes
The hybrid technology developed for the locomotives is also being deployed for other applications, like container craneCrane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
s (RTG
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
) used in port terminals (trademarked "EcoPower").
External links
- RailPower website
- http://www.rjcorman.com/ecopower.html EcoPower website]