Rail system fuel tender

Abstract

An improved rail system fuel tender for use with one or more railroad locomotives capable of transporting a plurality of fuel containers suitable for containing pressurized fuel and suitable for directly fueling the one or more locomotives. The improved fuel tender may be powered by the locomotives to increase tractive effort, and the fuel containers may be separately fillable and separately removable from the fuel tender.

1 . A rail system fuel tender for use with one or more railroad locomotives, said fuel tender comprising:
 a chassis, said chassis suitable for transporting one or more fuel containers, said chassis further having integrated therewith at least two pairs of wheels suitably adapted to allow the fuel tender to engage with and move about railroad rails, said chassis further suitably adapted to be connected, either directly or indirectly, to said one or more locomotives;   one or more fuel containers, each said fuel container suitably adapted to contain a quantity of pressurized fuel; and   a fuel connection system, said fuel connection system suitably adapted to deliver fuel from the one or more fuel containers to the one or more locomotives.   
     
     
         2 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 1  wherein
 each said fuel container is separately installable onto and removable from the fuel tender independently of each other fuel container. 
 
     
     
         3 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 1  wherein
 there is a plurality of fuel containers. 
 
     
     
         4 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the plurality of fuel containers are assembled onto one or more fuel frames, each said fuel frame being installable onto and removable from the fuel tender without need for disassembly of the chassis of the fuel tender. 
 
     
     
         5 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the fuel tender further comprises a refueling manifold, said refueling manifold being in connection with each of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with a fuel source, said refueling manifold suitably adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel. 
 
     
     
         6 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 5  wherein
 the plurality of fuel containers and the refueling manifold are assembled onto a fuel frame. 
 
     
     
         7 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 6  wherein
 the fuel frame is installable onto and removable from the fuel tender without need for disassembly of the chassis of the fuel tender. 
 
     
     
         8 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the fuel tender further comprises a plurality of refueling manifolds, each said refueling manifold being in connection with one or more of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with one or more fuel sources, the aggregate of said plurality of refueling manifolds adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel. 
 
     
     
         9 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 8  wherein
 the plurality of fuel containers and the plurality of refueling manifold are assembled onto one or more fuel frames. 
 
     
     
         10 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 9  wherein
 the one or more fuel frames are installable onto and removable from the fuel tender without need for disassembly of the chassis of the fuel tender. 
 
     
     
         11 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the fuel connection system comprises a fuel dispensing manifold, said fuel dispensing manifold being in connection with each of said plurality of containers and with the one or more locomotives, said fuel dispensing manifold suitably adapted to allow each said fuel container to dispense fuel in sequence. 
 
     
     
         12 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 11  wherein
 the fuel connection system further comprises a refueling manifold, said refueling manifold being in connection with each of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with a fuel source, said refueling manifold suitably adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel, wherein said refueling manifold is integrated with said fuel dispensing manifold. 
 
     
     
         13 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 11  wherein
 the fuel connection system further comprises a plurality of refueling manifolds, each said refueling manifold being in connection with one or more of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with one or more fuel sources, the aggregate of said plurality of refueling manifolds adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel. 
 
     
     
         14 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the fuel connection system further comprises a plurality of fuel dispensing manifolds, each said fuel dispensing manifold being in connection with one or more of said plurality of containers and with the one or more locomotives, said plurality of fuel dispensing manifolds adapted to allow the aggregate of said fuel containers to dispense fuel to one or more locomotives. 
 
     
     
         15 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 14  wherein
 the fuel connection system further comprises a plurality of refueling manifolds, each said refueling manifold being in connection with one or more of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with one or more fuel sources, the aggregate of said plurality of refueling manifolds adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel. 
 
     
     
         16 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 1  further comprising
 a propulsion mechanism, said propulsion mechanism integrated with the chassis and capable of propelling said fuel tender; and 
 a power connection, said power connection connecting said propulsion mechanism with at least one of said one or more locomotives, said power connection suitably adapted to transmit power from said at least one of said one or more locomotives to said propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         17 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 16  wherein
 the propulsion mechanism comprises one or more electric motors. 
 
     
     
         18 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 17  wherein
 said one or more electric motors of the propulsion mechanism are traction motors. 
 
     
     
         19 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 17  wherein
 said power connection is an electrical connection between the at least one of said one or more locomotives and the one or more electric motors of the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         20 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 17  wherein
 each said locomotive has at least one engine suitably adapted to be fueled by said fuel tender, with at least one said engine of at least one said locomotive being suitably adapted to produce electricity to power the one or more electric motors of the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         21 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 20  wherein
 said at least one engine is a dual fuel engine, with one of said dual fuels being the fuel contained in the one or more fuel containers. 
 
     
     
         22 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 16  wherein
 the propulsion mechanism comprises one or more hydraulic motors. 
 
     
     
         23 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 22  wherein
 said one or more hydraulic motors of the propulsion mechanism are traction motors. 
 
     
     
         24 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 22  wherein
 said power connection is a hydraulic connection between the at least one of said one or more locomotives and the one or more hydraulic motors of the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         25 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 16  wherein
 the fuel tender has no independent power generation capacity suitable for powering the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         26 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 16  wherein
 the fuel tender has an independent power generation capacity suitable for powering the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         27 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 26  further comprising an electric generator suitably adapted to provide independent power generation to the propulsion mechanism. 
     
     
         28 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 16  wherein
 at least one said locomotive has at least one engine suitably adapted to produce power to be transmitted to the propulsion mechanism. 
 
     
     
         29 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 1  wherein
 the fuel to be contained within each said fuel container comprises one of the following group: compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, propane, natural gas, and hydrogen. 
 
     
     
         30 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 1  wherein
 each said locomotive has one or more dual fuel engines suitably adapted to be fueled by said fuel tender, with one of said dual fuels being the fuel contained in the one or more fuel containers. 
 
     
     
         31 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 each said fuel container may be filled with fuel independently of each other fuel container. 
 
     
     
         32 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 the fuel connection system is suitably adapted to dispense fuel from the plurality of fuel containers in sequence. 
 
     
     
         33 . The rail system fuel tender of  claim 3  wherein
 each said fuel container is separately installable onto and removable from the fuel tender without need for disassembly of the chassis of the fuel tender. 
 
     
     
         34 . A powered rail system fuel tender for use with one or more railroad locomotives, said fuel tender comprising:
 a chassis, said chassis suitable for transporting one or more fuel containers, said chassis further having integrated therewith at least two pairs of wheels suitably adapted to allow the fuel tender to engage with and move about railroad rails, said chassis further suitably adapted to be connected, either directly or indirectly, to said one or more locomotives;   a plurality of fuel containers, each said fuel container suitably adapted to contain a quantity of pressurized fuel, each said fuel container being a high pressure cylinder suitably adapted to contain fuel pressurized to at least 1000 psi;   a fuel connection system, said fuel connection system suitably adapted to deliver fuel from the one or more fuel containers to the one or more locomotives, said fuel connection system comprising a fuel dispensing manifold, said fuel dispensing manifold being in connection with each of said plurality of containers and with the one or more locomotives, said fuel dispensing manifold suitably adapted to allow each said fuel container to dispense fuel in sequence, said fuel connection system further comprising a refueling manifold, said refueling manifold being in connection with each of said plurality of containers and capable of being connected with a fuel source, said refueling manifold suitably adapted to allow each said fuel container to be filled with fuel, with said refueling manifold being integrated with said fuel dispensing manifold, with the plurality of fuel containers, the fuel dispensing manifold, and the refueling manifold assembled onto a fuel frame, said fuel frame installable onto and removable from the fuel tender without need for disassembly of the chassis of the fuel tender;   a propulsion mechanism, said propulsion mechanism integrated with the chassis and capable of propelling said fuel tender, said propulsion mechanism comprising one or more electric traction motors; and   a power connection, said power connection connecting said propulsion mechanism with at least one of said one or more locomotives, said power connection suitably adapted to transmit power from said at least one of said one or more locomotives to said propulsion mechanism, said power connection being an electrical connection between the at least one of said one or more locomotives and the one or more electric traction motors;   wherein each said locomotive has at least one engine that is a dual fuel engine suitably adapted to be fueled by said fuel tender, with at least one said engine of at least one said locomotive being suitably adapted to produce electricity to power the one or more electric traction motors of the propulsion mechanism;   the fuel tender has no independent power generation capacity suitable for powering the propulsion mechanism; and   the fuel to be contained within each said fuel container comprises one of the following group: compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas, and compressed hydrogen.