Thursday Proto Photo, Jan 9/25

[Lenny53]

Dorval, QC Oct 7,2016

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[Ed Kapuscinski]

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/875223

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[sundowner]

The last GP40-2 in front of FLL

[Scottl]

Was that FEC with the tank tender a natural gas loco?

[sundowner]

Was that FEC with the tank tender a natural gas loco?

Yes, all there ES44 are dual fuel.

[Dwight in Toronto]

I’m intrigued by the “natural gas fuel tender” comments.  I spent a fair chunk of my career managing a natural gas vehicle research & development program. 

To me, that looks like it might be more of a propane tender.  Compressed natural gas would be contained in an array of long, narrow cylinders due to the 3600 psig storage pressure, and liquified natural gas requires heavily insulated cryogenic containment.

I’ve been away from alternative motor fuels technology for a while now, and this is the first I’ve heard about dual-fueled/alternative-fueled locomotives.  I’d be interested if someone can provide a bit more poop on this!

[Dwight in Toronto]

Never mind re: my enquiry above … found all the poop I need on the FEC alternative fuel program.  The tenders are indeed liquified natural gas (LNG).  Colour me hugely impressed!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_East_Coast_Railway

[Scottl]

CN had a CNG tender system in tests in the recent past as well.  I think CPKC has something as well. 

[Dwight in Toronto]

CN had a CNG tender system in tests in the recent past as well.  I think CPKC has something as well.

Well, I’ll be darned!  How quickly one loses touch.
LNG is the superior option, with one huge caveat - access to a fuel source.  Cryogenic plants to liquify natural gas are big, expensive, and few & far between.  We had no such thing in southern Ontario, so all my experience is with compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies.

I wonder where FEC are getting the fuel?  I know that there are LNG plants in Louisiana, so maybe tanker truck deliveries?
Fascinating.

[sundowner]

FEC has been running there Jax-Mia mainline trains with the LNG tender for a few years now.. Hard to find a train led by ES44’s without it.

[sundowner]

Well, I’ll be darned!  How quickly one loses touch.
LNG is the superior option, with one huge caveat - access to a fuel source.  Cryogenic plants to liquify natural gas are big, expensive, and few & far between.  We had no such thing in southern Ontario, so all my experience is with compressed natural gas (CNG) technologies.

I wonder where FEC are getting the fuel?  I know that there are LNG plants in Louisiana, so maybe tanker truck deliveries?
Fascinating.

I don’t know but all oil burner power plants own by FPL were converted to run on LNG so probably same source for FEC.