Railpower GG20B explained

Railpower GG20B
Powertype:Hybrid diesel/battery
Locoweight:280000lb
Fueltype:Diesel fuel
Fuelcap:2100impgal
Tractiveeffort:80000lbf Starting
Builder:Railpower Technologies (RPT)
Builddate:September 2004 – present
Buildmodel:GG20B
Maxspeed:60mph
Aarwheels:B-B
Cylindercount:6
Primemover:Caterpillar C9[1]
Enginetype:Four-Stroke six cylinder inline diesel
Aspiration:Turbocharger
Poweroutput:300hp
2000hp Tractive Equivalent
Totalproduction:55

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 six cylinder inline engine developing 300hp, which is also connected to a large battery bank where both sources combine for a total power output of 2000hp. To date, there have been more than 50 GG20B diesel-electric hybrid switchers manufactured since their first introduction in 2004.[2]

Original Buyers

Railroad Quantity Road number(s) Notes
1 2000 Now S&S Sales and Leasing SSRX 2000[3]
4 1210-1213 1205 Ex-Canadian Pacific Railway
6 1700-1705 Railpower contract later terminated, units sent to different owners. Amtrak 599 BNSF Railway 1205
2 1868-1869
1 2006
1 2608 Now S&S Sales and Leasing SSRX 2608[4]
5 2401-2405 Demonstration Units
10 414, 1602, 1621, 1810, 2402, 2605, 4495, 4547, 8049, & 9140 Ordered with non-consistent running numbers
21 Y2004 & Y2300-2319 Units classed by UP as "GG20GE"
4 6000-6003
Total 55[5]

Fuel-cell testbed

BNSF Railway and Vehicle Projects converted a GG20B to an experimental testbed, for the use of hydrogen fuel cells. The new locomotive is designated HH20B. The locomotive was publicly demonstrated for the first time on June 29, 2009, at Topeka, Kansas.[6] [7]

The locomotive, BNSF 1205, was originally built in 1957 as Canadian Pacific 8637 (renumbered 1544 in the 1980s), a GMD GP9 locomotive.[8] In 2006, it was rebuilt into a GG20B for the Canadian Pacific, but was not delivered, due to the cancellation of the order. It was sold to BNSF in 2008, and shipped to the railroad's shops at Topeka, Kansas for conversion. The diesel generator set was removed, and the fuel cell power unit was installed in its place. Hydrogen storage is in a set of tanks installed in a heavily vented enclosure on top of the locomotive's long hood, above the batteries.[9] To date, it is the largest land vehicle on earth to be powered exclusively by hydrogen fuel cells.[10]

In 2023, the locomotive (without its hydrogen components) was donated to the Oklahoma Railroad Museum, which plans on using it as a control car and for electricity generation on the end of its excursion trains.[11] [8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.railpower.com/2support2/GG20B.pdf Railpower GG20B Specifications
  2. http://www.trainweb.org/gensets/railpower.html Railpower Genset Switchers
  3. http://www.sssalesandleasing.com/locomotive-parts/gg20b-generation-4-hybrid-locomotive-for-sale.php GG20B Generation-4 Hybrid Locomotive For Sale
  4. http://www.sssalesandleasing.com/locomotive-parts/gg20b-generation-4-hybrid-locomotive-for-sale-54.php GG20B Generation- 3rd Generation Hybrid Locomotive For Sale
  5. http://www.trainweb.org/greengoats/gg20b.html Railpower GG20B Roster
  6. Web site: New locomotive unveiled.
  7. Web site: BNSF explores locomotive fuel cell. 2009-07-09. 2011-10-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007235203/http://www.blet-bnsfmrl.org/index.asp?NewsStory=289. dead.
  8. Web site: Franz . Justin . BNSF Donates Hydrogen Test Locomotive To Oklahoma Museum . Railfan & Railroad Magazine . 30 December 2023 . en-CA . 15 August 2023.
  9. Web site: Pictures of BNSF 1205.
  10. Web site: Partnership to Produce Five Fuel Cell Mine Locomotives.
  11. Web site: Garrison . John . BNSF’s first hydrogen locomotive . . 30 December 2023 . 31 August 2023.