Railpower Technologies Corporation

Other

Icr Turbine Engine Corporation

Railpower, LLC

Rht Railhaul Technologies

Tractive Power Corporation

Frank Wegner Donnelly

Donnelly, Frank Wegner

John David Watson

Andrew Colin Tarnow

David William Dewis

Bruce Wolff

David Herman Swan

James B Kesseli

Thomas Wolf

Brian Gulayets Iwan

Ronald B Bailey

Douglas W Swartz

Michael Helmut Kobler

Gerard Henry Koldyk

Bruce E Wolff

Kris Redinger

Tony Maciulewicz

Timothy Upton

Brian Ward Gulayets

The use of short consists of powered and unpowered freight cars for moving cargo from its source to transfer facilities is described. The use of short consists of powered and unpowered freight cars can enable the efficient operation of unit trains. Single self-powered rail cars or short consists (up to about 25 cars) can overcome a number of problems associated with long unit trains such as dynamic instabilities, inability to stop quickly if needed and long headway time required between trains. A system of feeder trains (aggregators) to facilitate keeping unit trains in more or less constant motion is described. The use of gearing and shafts for power transmission from traction motors installed on various types of freight cars using the structure of the existing freight car truck is also described.

Remote operation of a powered burden rail car

Systems and methods are provided for retrofitting, or producing, a truck assembly with a traction motor to propel a rail car or other vehicle. A traction drive frame assembly is an integrated unit combining the traction motor with its transmission means, an arrangement that prevents the traction drive frame from rotating when the traction motor is powered. The traction motor can be positioned in a space between a bolster and an axle of the truck assembly, and a jackshaft assembly can be positioned outside of the space. Then, one or more gears, pulleys, chains, etc. between the traction motor and the jackshaft assembly provide mechanical advantage and amplify torque transmitted from the traction motor to the jackshaft assembly. A second operable connection between the jackshaft assembly and the axle amplifies the torque a second time such that a relatively small traction motor propels a rail car or other vehicle.

Motorized rail car

A bolster system and method of balancing a locomotive on a bolster system is provided. The bolster system is configured such that weld seams interconnect the locomotive to the bolster, and the weld seams are oriented such that when the truck or locomotive impacts another device on the rail track, the weld seams experience a shearing force along the lengths of the weld seams. In addition, prior to welding, scales such as hydraulic jacks with gauges may be used to center and balance a locomotive on a bolster. In one embodiment, four hydraulic jacks elevate the truck, bolster, and locomotive, and the locomotive is repositioned on the bolster until the hydraulic jacks have substantially similar measures.

Systems and methods for balancing a single truck industrial locomotive

A multi-engine locomotive configuration is disclosed wherein engine outputs to DC traction motors are controlled by connecting the alternators with rectifiers in series for each engine of a multi-engine locomotive. This configuration uses the minimum number of rectifying diodes, eliminates the need for chopper circuits and simplifies the method of controlling the sequencing and output of two or more engines. The approach, which reduces the parasitic power loss by reducing the number of diodes, also enables a simplified means to efficiently manage engine cooling without additional cost and complexity of electrically-driven radiator fans.

Multi-engine locomotive propulsion

A method and system of temperature control of heavy hydrocarbons in a consist of rail cars is disclosed wherein waste heat from one or more of the locomotives propelling the train is utilized to heat the heavy hydrocarbons in a consist or ambient air is used to cool the heavy hydrocarbon cargo. The train is typically comprised of tanker cars that can be filled with raw heavy hydrocarbon, not dilbit thus allowing about 20% to about 30% additional heavy hydrocarbon to be transported in each tanker car. The system can keep the heavy hydrocarbon at a first, lower temperature en route and increase temperature to a second higher temperature as the train nears its terminus so that the tanker cars can be quickly emptied of their contents at the receiving terminal without the need to heat the tanker cars at the unloading terminal. The method disclosed herein for heating tanker cars in transit is to utilize waste heat from the locomotive diesel or gas turbine engines which is otherwise exhausted to the atmosphere.

Rail cars for transporting heavy hydrocarbons

A method and system(s) are disclosed for integrating a new fuel into an operating transportation system in a continuous, seamless manner, such as diesel fuel being gradually replaced by compressed natural gas ('CNG') in long haul trucks. Integration can be implemented using two enabling technologies. The first is an engine system capable of operating seamlessly on two or more fuels without regard to the ignition characteristics of the fuels. The second is a communications and computing system for implementing a fueling strategy that optimizes fuel consumption, guides the selection of fuel based upon location, cost and emissions and allows the transition from one fuel to another to appear substantially seamless to the truck driver.

Multi-fuel service station

The placement of fully available prime movers having a DC output at a location inside or adjacent to an inverter-based intermittently available renewable energy site is disclosed. The fully available prime movers add reliability to an unreliable energy asset that is reaching its maximum penetration within the grid due to its unpredictability and the requirement for additional spinning reserves in other parts of the grid. The present invention can provide a portion or all of the power to an intermittently available renewable power generating facility so that the power output to the power grid is dispatchable power. In particular, a method and means are disclosed to utilize high-efficiency engines operated on various fuels some of which may be non-fossil fuels to maintain a constant power output from an otherwise intermittent power generating facility.

Dispatchable power from a renewable energy facility

A method is disclosed for constructing a locomotive, in part, from serviceable used parts from one or more other locomotives. The principal part that is used in this new locomotive configuration is a single, used locomotive truck assembly. The various embodiments and configurations of the present invention are directed generally to a purpose-built locomotive that incorporates parts from other locomotives in a unique way. The present invention can be summarized as a method creating a simple locomotive that is well adapted to switching and spotting functions that shares commonality with other larger locomotives both in terms of components and design. Because this new piece equipment is built in part from a plentiful supply of under-valued surplus components, it will be economical to construct and maintain. The locomotive may also include a self-elevating system so that the truck assembly can be accessed or removed rapidly for maintenance or repairs.

Industrial locomotive construction

The present invention combines the principles of a gas turbine engine with an electric transmission system. A method and apparatus are disclosed for utilizing metallic and ceramic elements to store heat energy derived from a regenerative braking system. The subject invention uses this regenerated electrical energy to provide additional energy storage over conventional electrical storage methods suitable for a gas turbine engine. The subject invention provides engine braking for a gas turbine engine as well as reducing fuel consumption.

Gas turbine energy storage and conversion system

A system of dense packaging of turbomachinery in a gas turbine engine by means of close-coupling of components and by the ability to rotate various engine components with respect to other engine components is disclosed. In addition, spool shaft rotational direction may be reversed to suit the application. In multiple engine configurations, the same ability to close-couple and rotate components and to reverse shaft rotational direction in order to rearrange the engine geometry package is used for packaging two or more gas turbine engines to achieve high power density. Dense-packing is possible because of a number of features of the basic engine. These features include: the use of compact centrifugal compressors and radial turbine assemblies; the close coupling of turbomachinery for a dense packaging; the ability to rotate certain key components so as to facilitate ducting and preferred placement of other components; the ability to control spool shaft rotational direction; and operation at high overall pressure ratios.

Gas turbine engine configurations

The present invention is directed to an energy storage system comprised of a heat block having a relatively high specific energy capacity. The heat block can be used, for example, with a regenerative braking system for gas turbine powered vehicles to improve fuel efficiency.

Regenerative braking for gas turbine systems

A rail-based system is disclosed for moving materials and is applicable to a number of industries. The invention describes a system of automated self-powered rail cars operating independently to transport material such as ore from a work face in a mine or cargo from a marine port to a major transportation hub.

Growing community of inventors

Vancouver, Canada

Frank Wegner Donnelly