A train that never needs to be charged? What sounds like science fiction is becoming reality in Australia. The so-called Infinity Train by the mining company Fortescue has successfully completed its first test run of 1,100 kilometers. In the future, the entire fleet is expected to save around 82 million liters of diesel per year and be cheaper to operate than existing diesel locomotives.
Energy generation via gradients and regeneration
Australia’s freight trains transport iron ore over hundreds of kilometers from remote mines to the ports on the coast, and usually do so without any overhead lines. The Infinity Train makes use of this topography: on the way downhill, the fully loaded train generates enough electricity to charge the batteries through regeneration, i.e., energy recovery during braking. The return journey to the mine is performed with empty wagons and requires significantly lower energy.
According to Fortescue, the train generates more energy than it needs for its operation. An external charging infrastructure is not required. In the future, surplus energy could even be used for other applications.
Unlikely to be used in Germany
In Australia, the entire fleet of 54 diesel locomotives is set to be replaced by Infinity Trains by 2030. This is possible in the short term, as no charging infrastructure or energy generation systems need to be set up. However, the concept is hardly transferable to Germany: The necessary gradients are lacking, and energy gained through regeneration would be insufficient.
However, around 62 percent of the rail network in Germany is electrified at the moment. The proportion is even higher on busy routes. As a result, more and more hybrid locomotives are being used in this country, which run on electrified sections with overhead lines and only switch to battery or diesel operation on non-electrified sections.
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