Future Freight Locomotives in Shift2Rail – Development of Full Electric Last Mile Propulsion System

Present mainline electric locomotives with last mile (LM) feature propulsion system usually rely on small diesel engines with ca. 200-300kW power output. Full electric last mile propulsion systems, based on Li-Ion batteries, with up to 500kWh energy and power in the range of 1 MW, will bring the innovation to a next level. Operators will be able to run trains on short non-electrified lines and restricted areas, with zero exhaust gas and low noise emissions. Furthermore, recuperation of braking energy will lead to increased system efficiency.
This paper addresses the challenges of the integration of such batteries by focusing on system design and homologation. It also highlights the advantages of full electric propulsion over systems relying on diesel engines and provides simulation results of load profiles of various trains, introducing advanced mission management concepts and charging schemes.