Re: (erielack) Quasi-topic--Trains on used frying oil (UFO)

[Hhaines_@_aol.com]

Dear Joe and all,

"Could/would a major RR obtain enough UFO to run trains..."

It really depends on what priorities are being addressed, and who is footing 
the bill. One of my older program goals was to have regular trains run along 
Montana's High-line powered by safflower oil taking Montana wheat to market.  
That was 1982.

Long-term, probably a low-cost oilseed like mustard will make biodiesel less 
expensive than petroleum diesel.  

Current oilseed (soy) production surplus can now supply 20 percent of 
domestic diesel consumption, but doing so would probably drive up the price 
of the oil, and probably no longer be cost effective.  

Using used fry oils (either vegetable or animal oils) could keep price down, 
but make the supply seasonally variable.  Then again, so is train traffic.

Some diesel fleets are finding alternatives to the rising disposal costs of 
used cooking oil.  

For example Albertson's food chain (now I think the largest out west if not 
the US) is "recycling" their used frying oil (UFO) from their deli chicken 
cookers.  The oil is delivered and picked up by their distribution centers as 
now cuurently occurs. 

The plan is to install a UFO "cleaner" that removes burnt crud, water, and 
free fatty acids.  The UFO will be blended  with diesel for the cooling units 
in their 1500-reefer truck fleet.  It will be blended because of cold 
temperature concerns and the amount of UFO available.  Albertson's only 
produces enough UFO for an 8 to 10 percent blend.  The diesel engines in 
cooling unit are the same engines as used on railroad reefers.    

Currently the pilot has been operating with a number of stores in Idaho and 
the Boise distribution center in cooperation with the University of Idaho and 
the U. S. Department of Energy, Carrier, Kubota, and many others.

Economically, the company is looking at taking a waste product that now costs 
or pays 4 cents a pound for disposal (about 30 cents a gallon), and are using 
it to displace fuel costing $0.90 to $1.10 per gallon.  The clean-up system 
costs are under $0.05 per gallon--less if a larger unit is installed.  Plus, 
they now can show a reduction in emissions, which is important in some 
markets.

As for biodiesel in railroad use, Union Pacific has tested a biodiesel blend 
in the Feather River Canyon of California where spills resulting in 
environmental fines have cost them dearly.  In the mid-1980s, BN worked with 
us to evaluate and reduce any engine or lubricant imcompatibilities, and that 
work is partly the basis for what is now happening.  (Biodiesel, some lube 
oil additives, and diesel fuel were not always kind to silver engine bearings 
in EMD diesels.  Silver was found to be a good catalyst to make the lube oil 
into soap--more on this off-line if interested).

Bottom line is that if it is cheaper or has other benefits (like lower 
emissions to operate in controlled areas), then the railroads will make a go 
of it.  Fuel costs are higher for the trucking industry, so I suspect they 
will delve into it first.

By the way, if this works for Alberston's, then the Golden Arches folks will 
be right behind--they had representatives at the engine tear down (this past 
January) after some number of months operation.  

And Henry wrote:
I want to HEAR all 48 of the locos at once in full song under peak load :)

It would almost be like a helper lashup going away uphill pushing a 1000 car
coal train up to Gulf Summit!

It is loud.  Noise is one of the things that require a permit in California.  
In Montana, the substations are usually are enough away from those who may 
complain--elk and cows just don't care.  The Three Forks setup (only 12 MW) 
could be heard from several miles away. Trick is, once the power companies 
saw what the railroads could provide, the peak price of power went to a 
fraction of a penny lower than what was break-even for the railroad power.

What ifs
Wish that more of the old EL units were repainted and tied into the grid 
somewhere.  Now that would be a classy power train.  And it could work in any 
era--instead of scrapping them, they become rolling generators, power for the 
people when and where needed.
  
Howard Haines

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