GE Transportation's new NextFuelTM Natural Gas Retrofit Kits

cool video, thanks for posting

 Oh boy, another paint scheme coming? You're killin' me Frank!

Very nice video. Always hoping we gain more energy independence. Too bad we don't focus on manufacturing in USA more. Covered in too many posts already here.

Now, can you buy a locomotive NEW with the kit alrady installed?  Has FRA OK'ed this?

Why would the FRA have to "OK" the use of LNG as fuel? The BN started testing with LNG as locomotive fuel, back in the 1990s!

Swafford,

Thank you for the informative and enjoyable promotional movie.

Ralph

Good Day Gentlemen,

Additional information on the NextFuel Natural Gas Retrofit Kit

http://www.railwayage.com/inde...n-breakthroughs.html

http://www.getransportation.com/

Regards,

Swafford

Very interesting, thanks.

Looks like GE is serious about the LNG technology for Locos!

http://www.gereports.com/having-a-gas/

I like that 'Conrail' paint scheme!

Holy blue bat man!...That is a nice looking engine.

Well, GE Blue is just about the same shade as Conrail Blue, and possibly is the same-- you would have to have two photos side by side to compare.

Thanks for posting!!!

I'm wondering which Class I railroad will be the first to buy these retrofit kits for their ES44AC's. This technology will change the railroad industry. The USA has gigantic reserves of natural gas!    

http://www.getransportation.co...ofit-kit-future-here

GE Transportation's new NextFuel(TM) Natural Gas Retrofit Kits enable existing Evolution Series locomotives to operate with dual fuel capabilities. This gives railroads flexibility to run on both diesel fuel and liquid natural gas (LNG) with up to 80 percent gas substitution as well as run 100 percent diesel. GE's NextFuel kits allow railroads to use natural gas as a fuel source, reducing emissions and potentially reducing fuel costs by 50 percent while not compromising performance.

Learn more at http://www.getransportation.com

 This was just covered in the Niagara Falls gazette! It's usually way behind on stuff. So close to Erie I guess it made it to the press faster.

 It talked about fracking bringing down the price to a third of what it was in 2008 at a peak. (So why hasn't our gas bill gone down???)

 It says conversion would come slowly as the infrastructure needs to be built up to supply the nation's 140,000 mile system.

 It also said UP spent 3.6 billion on fuel in 2012, 1/4 of their total expenses.

I had posted this on another related thread.  Keep in mind the video is promotional, there are trade-offs in moving to another fuel.  I like to think that if it is so great why weren't we all ready doing it.  In general the amount of energy available in a fuel is related to the size of the molecule and the number of bonds (links between the individual atoms) that are broken when used as a fuel, Combustion.

Chart is from Wikipedia, Thank you.
Click on individual components to link the Wikipedia information on each.  Working your way across the chart to the second column Alkene quickly put you into basic building blocks for plastics, We are still waiting, here in the Beaver Valley, PA to hear from Shell Oil as to whether a basic plastics plant will be built on the old Zinc Corporation of America Site. It is interesting to note that there are tremendous investments in these processing facilities in Texas (Houston), but most final product manufacturing using the plastic pellets from this basic process is in the Northeast.  Transportation of raw product from the northeast, central US and Canada to Texas and then transportation of finish product back to consumer populations is a huge consideration as we expand this domestic resource.   IMO   Mike CT

Simple hydrocarbons and their variations[edit]

Usage[edit]

Liquid fuels get you into the 5,6,7, or more Carbon molecules, Natural Gas 1,2, may be 3 Carbon molecules.  Less energy/per molecule when burned.
I would think most of the discussion centers on unit fuel cost, which is pretty easy to understand, when counting beans (Accounting cost) and in the board room. All based on probably gallons of liquid, or gallons of compressed gases to a liquid.  A better comparison would be units of energy.   Maybe even a better way of selling fuels.  IMO. Mike CT

It is hard to believe at the surface that you can make something solid like plastic from something like a type of natural gas!

In the Houston area, we have some big SIT yards.  These have hoppers full of plastic pellets in storage waiting to be transported when the pellets inside are stored.