Autonomous all-electric train cars may soon help deliver freight more effectively. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory worked with manufacturer Parallel Systems to make a train that addresses last-mile shipping needs typically handled by trucking. Parallel's new railcar does this by self-driving up to 500 miles on a single charge using existing rail lines.
The railcars' sensors are plugged into NREL's Advanced Locomotive Technology and Rail Infrastructure Optimization System to help coordinate with the rest of the rail network. These sensors also detect unexpected obstructions and enable remote response. NREL estimated that the ability of Parallel's railcars to load up and ship out without the usual overhead of traditional trains could cut delivery times by almost 70%.
There are loads of benefits of having cars like this that can get up and go quickly.
"When you're intelligently dispatching railcars as fast as possible, you hardly have any cargo buildup at a freight terminal, so you need very little storage space on-site," said NREL researcher Matt Bruchon. "You can build a less expensive terminal because it doesn't need a large footprint. That can potentially unlock new locations for freight terminals in areas that have good rail access but don't have a lot of space."
Efficient rail systems can also displace trucking, which produces significant carbon pollution. Cutting atmospheric pollution of all kinds is vital to curbing destructive weather patterns like floods, droughts, and heat waves. These natural disasters have incurred steep agricultural, housing, ecological, and other costs.
Parallel is expected to finish its pilot project in 2026, with a clear goal of increasing rail usage.
"We want to bring miles back to railroads so railroads can make more money," said Parallel project manager Suzi An. "What NREL has helped us do is put structure and data behind that idea."
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