Natural gas loco tanker/tender

[RAILCAT]

According to a news report  BNSF is to trial natural gas locos
for economic reasons (much cheaper) something that was tried
by BN before. What would be a suitable candidate for conversion
to a BN Gas tanker? The ex MDC tank? Was a model ever offered
by any of the model companies?

[NARmike]

CN is doing it like this...

[CoalPorter]

Back in the VCR days, I had a tape of BN green locomotives, which had some good shots
of the Nat. Gas tenders being tested. I think the micro-trains car would be close enough.

[fullsteam88]

I just pulled this picture off of another site.  The picture isn't great, but it gives you an idea.  The locomotive is a SD40-2 with a flared 45 style radiator on it.  The same thing CN did to their SD40-2W's they are using.  And this is from the first time BN tried using natural gas, so I don't know if they are still trying to use the same tender car or not. 



-Ryan

[Bob Bufkin]

It's a good idea and saves on fuel but, and a big but, they better have a lot of safety features built into them.  Bad enough that the NIMBYs and certain towns and cities bitch and moan about ethinol and crude oil trains passing close by.  I can see the headlines if one of these derails, etc and blows like a roman candle. 

[jagged ben]

I heard somewhere that one of the reasons the BN fuel tenders were abandoned was that the tank car couplers weren't really engineered to last with a full train worth of drawbar pull and constant use.  That probably applied to the diesel fuel tenders, but I imagine NG tenders would have a similar issue.

[Leggy]

I find that funny, in Australia we've been using tank wagons to extend the range of locomotives travelling across the Nullabor Plain with nary a problem....

You can see one of the tankers in use behind the 3rd locomotive.

The trend lately however has been to use tanktainers on container flats.

[Chris333]

CSX fuel tender at a scrapyard:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/ProtoPhotos#5102723975355568530
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/ProtoPhotos#5102724022600208802

[Scottl]

It's a good idea and saves on fuel but, and a big but, they better have a lot of safety features built into them.  Bad enough that the NIMBYs and certain towns and cities bitch and moan about ethinol and crude oil trains passing close by.  I can see the headlines if one of these derails, etc and blows like a roman candle.

How is it different from the propane that has been on the rails for decades?   Alternatives are good to try, but the energy density of diesel is hard to beat.

I do wonder if there are safety issues for the crew, given most flammable cars need to be spaced from the locomotives already.  An accident or leak is most likely to affect the crew.

[havingfuntoo]

Hey Leggy the discussion is about natural gas powered locomotives ...... not diesel powered ........ I don't think I can site a natural gas powered loco here in Australia operating with a tender.

[Leggy]

It was in reply to jagged bens comments not LNG specifically.

[Packer]

Actually BN had 2 SD40-2s that were modified for LNG. 7149 and 7890. 7149 is now an HCLX unit (still in that paint and number) and 7890 is now BNSF 7890.

Some info and pics on the BN ones: http://www.qstation.org/BN_LNG/

As for the flared radiators, I think they may be the stock ones set at an angle. Why angle them, IDK. The actual SD45 radiators have 3 sections, the ones on those CN units and the BN LNG only have 2 sections:
CN LNG SD40-2W: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3164433
BN LNG SD40-2: http://transport.castlegraphics.com/displayimage.php?album=23&pos=16
SD45: http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/sd45_photos/8818a_sp-sd45-thom_anderson.jpg

I heard somewhere that one of the reasons the BN fuel tenders were abandoned was that the tank car couplers weren't really engineered to last with a full train worth of drawbar pull and constant use.  That probably applied to the diesel fuel tenders, but I imagine NG tenders would have a similar issue.

Reasons varied from a non compliant valve on the tanks, too much stress on the frames of the fuel tenders, and the extra car length preventing long coal trains from fitting in some sidings.

from: http://www.mtnwestrail.com/wyoming/bnft.htm

SP also tried one.

FWIW, The local garbage company has a few LNG trucks. They are actually much louder then their diesel powered brethern. Maybe that's why BN canceled the project.

[Ike the BN Freak]

And this is from the first time BN tried using natural gas, so I don't know if they are still trying to use the same tender car or not. 

Actually the DF40-2s, which is what BN called their modified SD40-2s, was BN's second attempt at LNG units.  The first was a GP9 with an LNG trailer on a flat car trailing it.

I have plans of the LNG tank cars in one of my BN books if anyone is interested.

[Nick Lorusso]

From what I read a few months back, CN needed to angle the radiators for cooling. Also on another note the CN fuel tender is on loan from UP it still has CNW reporting marks.

Here is the artical from CN
http://www.cn.ca/en/news/2012/09/media_news_cn_tests_natural_gas_locomotives_20120927

Regards,
Nick