Railpower GG20B

Railpower GG20B
A Railpower GG20B hybrid genset in the Union Pacific paint scheme
Type and origin
Power typeHybrid diesel/battery
BuilderRailpower Technologies (RPT)
ModelGG20B
Build dateSeptember 2004 – present
Total produced55
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARB-B
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Loco weight280,000 lb (130,000 kg)
Fuel typeDiesel fuel
Fuel capacity2,100 imp gal (9,500 L; 2,500 US gal)
Prime moverCaterpillar C9[1]
Engine typeFour-Stroke six cylinder inline diesel[1]
AspirationTurbocharger
Cylinders6
Performance figures
Maximum speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Power output300 hp (224 kW)
2,000 hp (1,490 kW) Tractive Equivalent
Tractive effort80,000 lbf (355.9 kN) Starting

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 300 horsepower (224 kW), which is also connected to a large battery bank where both sources combine for a total power output of 2,000 horsepower (1,490 kW). 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
Bechtel Group 1 2000 Now S&S Sales and Leasing SSRX 2000[3]
BNSF Railway 4 1210-1213 1205 Ex-Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway 6 1700-1705 Railpower contract later terminated, units sent to different owners. Amtrak 599 BNSF Railway 1205
Kansas City Southern Railway 2 1868-1869
Lubrizol Corporation 1 2006
Modoc Railroad Academy 1 2608 Now S&S Sales and Leasing SSRX 2608[4]
Railpower Technologies 5 2401-2405 Demonstration Units
Railserve 10 414, 1602, 1621, 1810, 2402, 2605, 4495, 4547, 8049, & 9140 Ordered with non-consistent running numbers
Union Pacific Railroad 21 Y2004 & Y2300-2319 Units classed by UP as "GG20GE"
United States Army 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

External images
image icon RailPictures.Net Photographs of the Railpower GG20B at RailPictures.Net.
image icon Railroad Picture Archives Railpower GG20B photographs from Railroad Picture Archives.

References

  1. ^ a b Railpower GG20B Specifications
  2. ^ Railpower Genset Switchers
  3. ^ GG20B Generation-4 Hybrid Locomotive For Sale
  4. ^ GG20B Generation- 3rd Generation Hybrid Locomotive For Sale
  5. ^ Railpower GG20B Roster
  6. ^ "New locomotive unveiled".
  7. ^ "BNSF explores locomotive fuel cell". Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
  8. ^ a b Franz, Justin (15 August 2023). "BNSF Donates Hydrogen Test Locomotive To Oklahoma Museum". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Pictures of BNSF 1205".
  10. ^ "Partnership to Produce Five Fuel Cell Mine Locomotives".
  11. ^ Garrison, John (31 August 2023). "BNSF's first hydrogen locomotive". Trains. Retrieved 30 December 2023.


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