The all-new NS 999 prototype battery-powered train is a 1,500-horsepower plug-in locomotive anticipating cleaner transportation down the rails at Norfolk Southern Corp. Equipped with a string of 1,080 lead-acid energy storage systems, its 12-volt batteries keep on recharging when the brakes are applied.
The electric train ensures zero exhaust emissions owing to the absence of a diesel engine. It does not ask for recharging before it is operated for three shifts on single charge. An elaborate battery-management system ensures safety and maximum battery life.
Developed jointly by Norfolk Southern, the US Department of Energy, the Federal Railroad Administration and Penn State, the $1.3 million train aims to bring down the overall carbon footprints of the transportation sector in the Norfolk region.
Via: Boston Herald