Called the “Green Goat,” the locomotive has been tested in the rail yard at Roseville CA, since March 2002. With the need to examine the locomotive’s work in colder weather, testing began in Chicago, IL in January of this year. All testing is to be completed by June.
Manufacturer of the locomotive is RailPower Technologies Corp. of Vancouver, Canada. The comprehensive tests cover emissions, performance, maintenance, economic viability, and the battery charging system.
As a rule, 3,000 to 4,400 horsepower locomotives pull trains between cities. The batteries used in the Green Goat produce energy equivalent to 2,000 horsepower—which is a locomotive typically used in rail yards. In railroad slang, a “goat” is a locomotive used in rail yards.