The most dramatic way to reduce fuel consumption by locomotives would be to eliminate the need for petroleum-based fuels altogether. One team of NIU professors is looking for ways to do exactly that, exploring the use of fuel cells to replace diesel engines.
If the idea of using electricity to propel a freight train seems incredible, it shouldn’t. The diesel engine in every modern locomotive doesn’t actually power the train, instead it generates electricity for the traction motors that handle that task.
Engineering faculty at NIU are investigating the feasibility of using fuel cells instead of diesel engines to generate that electricity – a concept that is already being put into practice in some prototype switchyard engines.
The researchers have been studying various types of fuel cells to see which might be most appropriate and will be testing different types in the future to see which might best meet the demands of a cross-country locomotive.