The “green movement” has made great strides in transportation: electric cars and buses are already running in Connecticut, helping reduce pollution. And soon electric locomotives will be added to the mix.
The old diesel locomotives we used for decades were really dirty, spewing carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas), nitrogen oxides (contributing to acid rain), sulfur dioxide (more acid rain) and soot (think: asthma).
Those FL9 diesels came into service in the 1950s and ran on third-rail electric power into Grand Central, but are now history. (You can still see a couple at the Danbury Railway Museum.) The old locos were so unreliable that they’d be left running (and spewing) all night at the Danbury station just to be sure they’d start in the morning.
But now the MTA is ordering 13 battery-electric locomotives from Siemens Mobility North America. They will run “under the wire” on the all-electric main line but rely on batteries along the unelectrified Danbury and Waterbury branches and for entering New York City. They will also be essential for Metro-North’s plans to extend service to Penn Station where (like at Grand Central) diesel trains are not allowed.
Years ago, Danbury trains from Grand Central Terminal pulled by the old FL9s were often unable to use their third-rail “shoes” to leave the station under electric power. Just before departure they’d unplug from “shore power” at GCT, shut off their HVAC system and fire up their diesel engines for the ten-minute trip through the Park Avenue tunnel.
The resulting pollution was intense, which is why they turned off the air circulation onboard until reaching 125th Street. The practice, though not frequent (I experienced it myself!) was technically illegal, but the railroad did it anyway. Now this won’t be an issue anymore.
The new battery equipped locomotives will cost about $24 million each and should start arriving in 2029.
In the rest of the world it’s often cheaper to go with batteries than to electrify the rail lines. In Europe and Japan all-electric, battery powered trains are often used on commuter runs of up to 75 miles, recharging at stations in as little as 20 minutes. Though the batteries are heavy, they can last 10-15 years before needing replacements (up to $1 million per engine). Like electric cars, there are fewer moving parts so maintenance is much easier.
Best of all, they’re quieter, cleaner and accelerate a lot faster. And operating costs are cheaper given the cost of diesel fuel. While diesel trains’ fuel cost $1.50 – $2.50 per mile to operate, battery powered trains cost only 10 to 30 cents a mile.
And like our current M8 electric trains, the new locos will use regenerative braking, using their brakes as mini-generators to give the batteries a boost when slowing down.
Of course, all of this “greening” of Metro-North may wither on the vine if the MTA’s congestion pricing toll plan gets killed by the White House. So, as we say, “stay tuned for further developments.”