LNG

Commentary

Assessing LNG-By-Rail Safety

Safety is important. Yet, we can do safety research and development a lot faster. It’s timely to ask why the regulatory process takes so long. Today in transport logistics, our society seems to lack a sense of urgency. As one example, it now takes regulatory agencies (and non-regulatory bodies like the National Transportation Safety Board) as long as 18 to 24 months to complete an accident investigation report. Why so long? It’s a mystery.

Westport delivers first LNG tender to EMD

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Westport Innovations, has delivered the first of four liquefied natural gas (LNG) tenders ordered by Canadian National (CN) to Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD, which is developing a pilot low-pressure LNG diesel dual-fuel locomotive for the Class I railroad).

GE, CSX partner to advance LNG locomotives

CSX Corp. and GE Transportation announced an agreement Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013, to explore emissions-cutting and efficiency breakthroughs in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) technology for locomotives, beginning with a pilot program next year.

Steve Ditmeyer
Commentary

LNG power: A history lesson

Is LNG the locomotive fuel of the future? Will it, over time, replace diesel, much like diesel supplanted steam during the 1940s and 1950s? Or will it be used in combination with diesel, deployed on specific runs where it makes the best logistical and economic sense? What about the safety concerns? The fueling infrastructure required?
Commentary

LNG: Locomotive fuel of the future?

Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of excitement among the Wall Street analyst crowd over LNG (liquefied natural gas) and its potential as a locomotive fuel. The railroads have been relatively quiet about their recently renewed interest in LNG, choosing to pursue long-term testing without making too much noise, as they usually do. Yet, some analysts have latched on to these efforts, talking about LNG like it’s the Holy Grail. Are they on the mark, or will they wind up suffering from (pardon the pun; it’s too obvious to resist) gas cramps?