GE Hybrid Locomotive

[ES44AC]

I have a few questions about the new hybrid locomotive GE is producing. When will it go into service, who is buying it, how many miles to the gallon, and horsepower? There wasn't that much information about it on the GE website. It would be great if somebody knew.

[UPRR engineer]

I looked at the pictures from there web site. Id say there gonna have to figure out a different place to store the batteries, somewhere else then on the walkways before they start cranking them out.

[uhaul]

I thought the batteries were under the walkway.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=185985

[UPRR engineer]

Ya they are, but the "NEW" units i saw on the web page had a battery box that was at least halfway as high as the engine doors and ran the length of the locomotive. (The current battery box, times 20 on the side of the unit) I looked for it again, but i cant find it.

[ES44AC]

Does anyone know where it was built?

[Peter Radanovic]

GE's locomotives are assembled in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Evolution Series locomotive also seems to have a rounder gas-tank than earlier GE locomotives!

[GOLDEN-ARM]

That's not a "gas tank", it's a septic tank...............

[Allen Hazen]

Goldenarm--
Ho! Ho! Ho! It's BOTH!
It's what, a 5,000 gallon tank? Divided so something like 4,900 gallons is fuel and 100 is a holding tank for the on-board toilet?

Peter Radanovic--
Has the fuel tank profile changed AGAIN? U series and Dash 7 and Dash 8 had a very angular profile: side wall of the fuel tank was vertical at the top, then angled in for a second flat section to the bottom. Dash-9 and AC44 fuel tanks look more rounded (harder to tell apart from EMD tanks in a photo taken along the side of a multi-unit consist) because they have two angles: vertical at the top, then sloping somewhat in, then sloping more sharply in. I'll have to look at photos more carefully: I thought the Dash-9 style of fuel tank was carried over onto the Evolution Series.

[MEC407]

It looks to me like it's the same fuel tank as the Dash 9 and AC series locos. The aforementioned photo does make it look slightly rounder, compared to the fuel tanks of the units in front of it and behind it, but I think that's mainly due to the lighting and the angles. I've looked at it closely, and looked at other photos of mixed ES44-Dash 9 consists, and the tanks look basically identical to me.

[MEC407]

Here is a press release about today's official unveiling of the Evolution Hybrid demo unit:

http://tinyurl.com/36mwy2

[MEC407]

GE says that its hybrid locomotive is "ready when the buyers are":

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art ... 68/-1/news

[Allen Hazen]

Slightly odd news story: it doesn't seem to report any actual NEWS! It's as if the reporter looked in his diary, noticed that it was five years since GE had announced they would have a hybrid locomotive ready in five years and went and asked for a progress report.
(Which I think is commendable if it's what happened: just reporting the day's events often means publishing trivia, where a backgrounder like this would be more instructive.)
...
I assume the GETS people have CONSIDERED the possibility of building a set of demonstrators to send on tour: pity they don't seem to think the time is right for that!

(Thanks for the link.)

[RickRackstop]

Maybe its the fact that the molten salt batteries have to be maintained at over 600 degrees F to function that's off-putting. The railroads seem to be in a race to be second on trying this out. GE should make a series of lease units available. There'a a whole dicussion elsware under "GE builds a battery factory' (with NY state money).

[v8interceptor]

Slightly odd news story: it doesn't seem to report any actual NEWS! It's as if the reporter looked in his diary, noticed that it was five years since GE had announced they would have a hybrid locomotive ready in five years and went and asked for a progress report.
(Which I think is commendable if it's what happened: just reporting the day's events often means publishing trivia, where a backgrounder like this would be more instructive.)
...
I assume the GETS people have CONSIDERED the possibility of building a set of demonstrators to send on tour: pity they don't seem to think the time is right for that!

(Thanks for the link.)

GE #210 is the first demonstrator but there has been scant reporting on it's status...I don't even know if it has the energy storage system installed and operational..

[Super Seis]

anyone remember the stillborn GE coal slurry fuel project ?

SS