COMPARISON BETWEEN FUEL EFFICIENCY OF RAILWAY DIESEL AND ELECTRIC TRACTION UNITS

This paper shows that efficiency chains for railway diesel and electric traction units can be combined with unit costs of fuel to give a valid comparison between diesel and electric traction options on a given railway service. The data have been derived from existing types of traction and rolling stock on British Railways. It is shown by taking all relevant factors into consideration that electric traction has higher thermal efficiency than diesel traction. An important feature of the electric traction chain is that the input energy can be obtained from any source including nuclear heat and mechanical energy to drive generators directly as in hydro or tidal energy schemes. Where oil is used in electricity power station furnaces the oil is a lower grade and therefore cheaper than that required for heat engines.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • National Conference Publication of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, n 79/2, Electric Energy Conference, Preprint of Papers, Brisbane, Australia, May 17-18, 1979.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Engineers

  11 National Circuit
  Barton, A.C.T.,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Howard, N
• Conference:
  • National Conference Publication of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, n 79/2, Electric Energy Conference, Preprint of Papers, Brisbane, Australia, May 17-18, 1979.
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 87-92

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Diesel locomotives; Economic efficiency; Electric locomotives; Electric power generation; Energy resources; Railroad electrification
• Identifier Terms: British Rail
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Energy crisis
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00311068
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: Conf Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 9 1980 12:00AM