Railcar having natural gas engine

Abstract

A railcar is provided and includes at least one natural gas engine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railcar comprising:
 a chassis;   at least two wheels rotatably coupled with the chassis and configured to interact with rails of a track;   at least two traction motors, each traction motor being operably coupled with opposite ones of the at least two wheels;   an electric generator in electrical communication with each of the at least two traction motors and configured to power the at least two traction motors to facilitate powered rotation of the at least two wheels;   a current collector electrically coupled with the at least two traction motors and configured for electrical contact with an electrical rail of a track such that electrical power is transmitted from the electrical rail, through the current collector, and to the at least two traction motors to power the at least two traction motors;   a gear box having at least two inputs and an output, the output being operably coupled with the electric generator; and   at least two natural gas engines, each of the at least two natural gas engines being operably coupled with opposite ones of the at least two inputs of the gear box.   
     
     
         2 . The railcar of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical storage device electrically coupled with the at least two traction motors and configured to selectively deliver electrical power to the at least two traction motors. 
     
     
         3 . The railcar of  claim 2  wherein the electrical storage device is electrically coupled with the current collector to facilitate charging of the electrical storage device from the electrical rail of a track. 
     
     
         4 . The railcar of  claim 2  further comprising an onboard inductive charging coil that is electrically coupled with the electrical storage device, the onboard inductive charging coil being configured to facilitate charging of the electrical storage device from a trackside inductive charging coil. 
     
     
         5 . The railcar of  claim 2  wherein the electrical storage device comprises a supercapacitor. 
     
     
         6 . The railcar of  claim 2  further comprising a control system that is configured to:
 determine an upcoming route; 
 predict energy level required to traverse the upcoming route; and 
 coordinate charging of the electrical storage device to the energy level required to traverse the upcoming route. 
 
     
     
         7 . The railcar of  claim 1  further comprising a control system that is configured to:
 detect a request for brake application; and 
 initiate regenerative braking at each of the at least two traction motors. 
 
     
     
         8 . A railcar comprising:
 a chassis;   at least two wheels rotatably coupled with the chassis and configured to interact with rails of a track;   a drive assembly operably coupled with each wheel of the at least two wheels;   a transmission operably coupled with the drive assembly;   a gear box having at least two inputs and an output, the output being operably coupled with the electric generator; and   at least two natural gas engines, each of the natural gas engines being operably coupled with opposite ones of the at least two inputs of the gear box.   
     
     
         9 . The railcar of  claim 8  wherein the drive assembly comprises a right angle drive and a drive link coupled with the right angle drive. 
     
     
         10 . The railcar of  claim 8  wherein the transmission comprises an automated manual transmission. 
     
     
         11 . The railcar of  claim 8  further comprising a fuel storage tank system. 
     
     
         12 . The railcar of  claim 8  further comprising an auxiliary generator operably coupled with the transmission such that it is powered from the at least two natural gas engines. 
     
     
         13 . The railcar of  claim 8  further comprising a clutch interposed between one of the at least two inputs of the gear box and one of the at least two natural gas engines, wherein the clutch is operable to facilitate selective disconnection of one of the at least two natural gas engines from the gearbox. 
     
     
         14 . A method of retrofitting at least two natural gas engines to a railcar, the railcar comprising a chassis, at least two wheels rotatably coupled with the chassis and configured to interact with rails of a track, at least two traction motors, each traction motor being operably coupled with opposite ones of the at least two wheels, an electric generator in electrical communication with each of the at least two traction motors and configured to power the at least two traction motors to facilitate powered rotation of the at least two wheels, and a current collector electrically coupled with the electric generator and configured for electrical contact with an electrical rail of a track such that electrical power is transmitted from the electrical rail, through the current collector, and to the electric generator to power the electric generator, the method comprising:
 installing a gear box on the chassis, the gear box having at least two inputs and an output, the output being operably coupled with the electric generator; and   installing at least two natural gas engines on the chassis;   coupling each of the at least two natural gas engines with opposite ones of the at least two inputs of the gear box.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 installing an electrical storage device on the chassis; and 
 electrically coupling the electrical storage device with the electric generator such that the electrical storage device selectively delivers electrical power to the electric generator. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising electrically coupling the electrical storage device with the current collector to facilitate charging of the electrical storage device from the electrical rail of a track. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 installing an onboard inductive charging coil on the chassis; and 
 electrically coupling the onboard inductive charging coil with the electrical storage device to facilitate charging of the electrical storage device from a trackside inductive charging coil. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the electrical storage device comprises a supercapacitor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising installing a control system on the chassis that is configured to:
 determine an upcoming route; 
 predict energy level required to traverse the upcoming route; and 
 coordinate charging of the electrical storage device to the energy level required to traverse the upcoming route. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising installing a control system on the chassis that is configured to:
 detect a request for brake application; and 
 initiate regenerative braking at each of the at least two traction motors.