wes wrote:

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All,

Is there any follow-up on this or similar programs? 

I have been driving a Toyota Prius for three years and love it.  The regenerative braking and coasting makes a lot of sense to me.  It nets out to 45 mpg or better in city driving and a bit less on the hiway.  It is fun to watch the battery symbol build up charge on a long downhill drive.  There is no fuel consumed when stopped at a traffic light.

Since a locomotive already has engine, gen, and traction motors, it would seem fairly simple to conjure up control and batteries to do something similar.  Heck, you could probably cram a few traction motors in the unit holding the batteries.

Miss my old truck tho-----------------wes 

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 There are some old friends out west completely enjoying battery rejuvenating dynamic braking technology via retro fit electric bike kits from BionX. Not an NS locomotive, but we did digress a bit to Prius and my astute NS friend at this place is also sometimes known by the completely appropriate nickname BikenFuhrer.

http://electriccyclery.com/bionx_PL350_SL_XL_special_edition.html

Yep wes, follow the hyperlink provided by Calvin. Most of the hoggers here run other than yard jobs. NS might have stationed their 'experimental' battery only locos at a secret location. Nice idea, ya gotta give 'em kudos for trying, but with the tonnage, and the availability/duty-cycles, it's very doubtful that these things will become a reality on Class-I outfits in a meaningful way.

And there's the need ta recharge. What then? When they piss out when needed most, ya gotta fetch 'em, more'n likely attached to a cut of cars... Cut the dead unit off, drag it back in to the charging station, then finish the original job with a conventional switcher, or a hybrid/diesel-electric.

The gen-set "Green Goat" locos seem better suited to this intermittent duty. Running the regen units as line-haul/main power... Nope!