Advanced Non-Electric Propulsion System for High Speed Rail

One of the major objectives of the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Next Generation High-Speed Rail (NGHSR) program is to develop a non-electric propulsion system to provide cost-effective service in corridors other than Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. FRA plans to focus on the final development and testing of potential propulsion systems which can be easily adapted for installation in a locomotive or trainset. The goal of this project is to have a non-electric locomotive capable of sustained speeds of 150 mph, with acceleration comparable to that of an electric locomotive. The system should be reliable, fuel efficient, and in compliance with applicable noise and air emission requirements. This paper describes a hybrid propulsion system of gas turbine, energy storage flywheel and high-speed alternator designed to meet the propulsion power and reduced emissions performance goals of the NGHSR program. This project has been designated the Advanced Locomotive Propulsion System (ALPS). Other relevant propulsion technologies such as fuel cells, light-weight diesels and turbines are also discussed.