Pity there was so much background noise from passing traffic and the two diesels attached to 9001, would have liked to hear the "hum" of battery power. Looks quite impressive.
And how many hours do they expect to get on one charge and how long to recharge? I’d like to see one of these go cross country Perth, West Australia to Sydney, New South Wales. I drove trains from Perth to Cook, that’s around 1500 kilometres. Takes around fours days to traverse this country. Rio Tinto has bought them for their mining trains. Not sure how far that is. I know where the Pilbara is but haven’t driven trains there.
The battery electric loco can function as a booster for short periods as needed, thereby eliminating one diesel loco from the train. In general, the Pilbara iron ore railways are mostly downhill from the mines to the port, so full tractive effort is only needed for a small part of the journey.
Initially the Pilbara miners (Roy Hill, BHP, Fortescue and Rio Tinto) will operate battery-electric locos from Wabtec and Progress Rail in hybrid consists with their existing DE heavy-haul locos, so most of the charging will be regen while the train is in motion. Fortescue are planning for BE locos with larger battery systems that will be able to capture enough energy on the downhill loaded transit (40,000 tonnes) from the Pilbara to Port Hedland that they will be able to do the return uphill unloaded transit (5000 tonnes) entirely using recovered energy (ie zero diesel traction). Pilbara mines are 450-750 metres above sea level, so nominal potential energy of loaded train is ~ 50-80MWh. Energy needed for return up hill unloaded trip is ~ 20-25MWh.
I can see Australia having the same issues the tesla cars had during the winter season with this electric Loco. This all electric driven technology is still new and in its infancy. But I Australia will have to learn the hard way.
True; modern battery electric locos are new technology and in their infancy, (battery locos working in the Pilbara will not have 'winter' issues🤣). Doesn't matter if we lose a few in battery fires; the technology won't grow if they are not put to work. And believe me; these locos will be put to work, hard work!
They unload the locomotives at the same docks the iron comes out of at Port Hedland, Western Australia. These locos are also driverless out on the mainline
FLX Drive (flex drive) is basically General Electrics (wabtec) version of a battery eletric locomotive, this engine Main purpose is to be integrated with regular diesel eletric locomotives to cut down on fuel, fuel cost and making the train more efficient through regenerative breaking
I mean it’s cool but I can’t understand why Rio Tinto would even humor the idea of a battery powered locomotive, your talking some of the heaviest iron ore trains on earth are pulled there, I believe 350+ cars on those unit trains. Plus batteries don’t tend to do well in heat and Australias iron ore district is one of the hottest places on earth. This is just a fad, ingenuitive no doubt but I don’t see these ever catching on, are we going to be at Chinas mercy for all the lithium needed for the batteries?
Lithium is one of the most prevalent ores in the earth’s crust. Most of the world’s supply is mined in Australia, North Carolina, Argentina and Brazil, but it’s present virtually everywhere and can even be extracted from seawater. What does China have to do with anything?
This is getting out of hand. Now there are two of them!
We should not have made this bargain.
I agree just wate intell wabtect Barty locomotive get puting into storage or get scrap
Thank you for sharing this video. It will be interesting to see the loco when it arrives in Australia.
@@railmediaproductions3677 Thanks for watching! It will be interesting to see for sure!
The colour (undercoat/rust proofer?) makes it look military.
Can't wait to see this locomotive in full operation!
I wonder if the driver's console is the same as on the previous Evolution locomotives?
@@AndreyNikolsky2004 I believe it is.
Interesting locomotive. Awesome catch and video once again. Enjoyed watching and have a wonderful upcoming weekend. Steve
Thanks! Have a great week!
Awwww Man!!! Awesome catch three beautiful engines love this video!!
Thanks!!
Pity there was so much background noise from passing traffic and the two diesels attached to 9001, would have liked to hear the "hum" of battery power. Looks quite impressive.
This is great Steve. Added
Man that thing looks badass
What ever ends up in Australia will also be running driverless out on mainline
Only rio tinto, the other operators use drivers
Excellent video my friends 😊awesome 😮 Greeting 🙋 from Argentina 🇦🇷
Thanks! Greetings from the US!
good catch and these units look great 👍😎🔥
@@XShadowX682 Thanks!
Looks like something out of Mad Max.
And how many hours do they expect to get on one charge and how long to recharge? I’d like to see one of these go cross country Perth, West Australia to Sydney, New South Wales. I drove trains from Perth to Cook, that’s around 1500 kilometres. Takes around fours days to traverse this country. Rio Tinto has bought them for their mining trains. Not sure how far that is. I know where the Pilbara is but haven’t driven trains there.
Furthest mine is HD4
Approximately 500kms from the port of Dampier or Cape Lambert
The battery electric loco can function as a booster for short periods as needed, thereby eliminating one diesel loco from the train. In general, the Pilbara iron ore railways are mostly downhill from the mines to the port, so full tractive effort is only needed for a small part of the journey.
@ Yes, I can see where this would be advantageous.
Yup going over mountain passes
Initially the Pilbara miners (Roy Hill, BHP, Fortescue and Rio Tinto) will operate battery-electric locos from Wabtec and Progress Rail in hybrid consists with their existing DE heavy-haul locos, so most of the charging will be regen while the train is in motion. Fortescue are planning for BE locos with larger battery systems that will be able to capture enough energy on the downhill loaded transit (40,000 tonnes) from the Pilbara to Port Hedland that they will be able to do the return uphill unloaded transit (5000 tonnes) entirely using recovered energy (ie zero diesel traction). Pilbara mines are 450-750 metres above sea level, so nominal potential energy of loaded train is ~ 50-80MWh. Energy needed for return up hill unloaded trip is ~ 20-25MWh.
How I would love to see new units in the Santa Fe paint scheme again!
Cool video . New subscriber!
Thanks for the sub!
This basically teir 4 gevo and EMD said F it let’s make a baby and this spawns💀 it’s pretty neat ngl but kinda weird at the same time
BHP wants a FLXDrive too. They're getting it alright. Now this race is rapidly heating up
@All Trains Great And Small.... I know the model on both FLX Locomotives are the same if i'm right?
They are nearly the same.
I can see Australia having the same issues the tesla cars had during the winter season with this electric Loco. This all electric driven technology is still new and in its infancy. But I Australia will have to learn the hard way.
True; modern battery electric locos are new technology and in their infancy,
(battery locos working in the Pilbara will not have 'winter' issues🤣). Doesn't matter if we lose a few in battery fires; the technology won't grow if they are not put to work. And believe me; these locos will be put to work, hard work!
Wonder how long before it goes up in a fireball
Why? Is that what you expect it to do?
@andrewdenny5571 accidents happen, electronics aren't overly forgiving
@@HansRegenburg Very true, just as now when a turbo or a traction motor let's go on a diesel-powered locomotive
@@andrewdenny5571 except electrical fires require 2 weeks of supervision in case they reignite
Looks similar to when GE were testing 4500 and 6000 hp locos for Indian Railways .
How it’s getting to Australia?
@@johnsoncitynyrailfannprodu635 By ship.
They unload the locomotives at the same docks the iron comes out of at Port Hedland, Western Australia. These locos are also driverless out on the mainline
what type of loco is in the middle (rail corp?) thank you
It was a former CSX AC6000CW that was sold to the WNY&P as parts but the repaired it and lettered it for the Bath and Hammondsport Railroad.
What is FLX drive?
FLX Drive (flex drive) is basically General Electrics (wabtec) version of a battery eletric locomotive, this engine Main purpose is to be integrated with regular diesel eletric locomotives to cut down on fuel, fuel cost and making the train more efficient through regenerative breaking
Ok so it’s a hybrid, let’s cut the technical bullshit here. Just like Toyota cars, wake up to yourselves wankers
@@THE_IRON_HORSE the FLXDrive started the battery locomotive race between Wabtec and Progress Rail Services Corporation
@OfficialSEIC2K6 yes
Is there a reason why there's a bullhorn instead of an air horn?
@@arrivedknight7632 to many things on the long hood to put the horn there.
Looks Like armored Locomotive 😁😁
They could have just fitted a pantograph on that thing and converted it into a standard electric locomotive
Is this new? I ask
New technology
Hope it doesn't operate where it's cold. Batteries don't last long in cold weather.
@@richardmarseglia7361 Its a warm climate where irs going.
Not warm. More like bloody hot!
40 degrees Celsius + in summer.
It’s not Rio Tinto’s.
Military Train Leading
I raighter see hydrogen diesels and electric locomotive getig built
@Jeffrey-d5v9b they will be tested in 2027
@stephankoenig5481 oh well I just hope there not going to be hnuuu MANDAIT passenger variant
@Jeffrey-d5v9b I dont see that happening but who knows.
Absolutely amazing! Love the look of this in primer too! Any chance this tests next weekend or the weekend after while still in primer paint?
Its likely plus there will be 3 more as well.
Ok great! Planning to maybe make it out to the test track not this upcoming weekend but the next. Also, I thought the BHP order was for two?
@@galaxyrailfanning7860 As far as I know 1 and 4 for Rio Tinto
@@galaxyrailfanning7860 You are correct there will be 2 from each builder.
By 2030 all diesel locos r supposed to be replaced by battery locos
Not entirely. They are looking at green fuels and hydrogen too. Replacing diesels they think may happen by 2045 but thats way too optimistic.
Or hydrogen locomotives
Rio Tinto have abandoned these locomotives as the technology isn’t mature enough, apart from being a complete waste of money.
I mean it’s cool but I can’t understand why Rio Tinto would even humor the idea of a battery powered locomotive, your talking some of the heaviest iron ore trains on earth are pulled there, I believe 350+ cars on those unit trains. Plus batteries don’t tend to do well in heat and Australias iron ore district is one of the hottest places on earth. This is just a fad, ingenuitive no doubt but I don’t see these ever catching on, are we going to be at Chinas mercy for all the lithium needed for the batteries?
Lithium is one of the most prevalent ores in the earth’s crust. Most of the world’s supply is mined in Australia, North Carolina, Argentina and Brazil, but it’s present virtually everywhere and can even be extracted from seawater. What does China have to do with anything?
@@MarkNewtonFlieswhat’s your thoughts on the electric loco Markie🤔
@@MarkNewtonFliesare you a communist sympathizer Markie🤔
This is a monstrosity