Chugging with Slugs: Less Pollution, More Efficiency It’s not a new concept, but it is a very effective way to cut diesel emissions from locomotives in half. Iowa Northern Railway received $303,800 in RIDE grant funds to convert two locomotives into “slugs” and wire three other locomotives into “mother” engines. Each slug uses the motors on their axles powered by electricity from the locomotive to help it pull or stop a fully loaded train. That eliminates the need for a second locomotive’s pulling or braking power.

Iowa Northern Railway primarily moves grain from grain elevators to processors. Frequent stops along a low-speed rail line by high-speed engines were not an efficient use of energy. The use of a slug eliminates the diesel emissions of an additional engine, saves 20 to 30 percent of fuel use, and the wasted locomotive horsepower transforms into electrical power for the slug’s operation.

The units were demonstrated during a news media event in Waterloo July 21, 2010.

The slug conversion entailed removing the engine, wiring it for use, and filling it with cement to provide weight for traction. The lower profile aids visibility.

Iowa Northern Railway’s Jason Robinson (right) explains how the “slug” works to EPA Regional 7 Administrator Karl Brooks and Air Division Director Becky Weber.	Brackets are welded to the locomotive to hold a 2,000-volt cable (cable roll at left).

Royal Charters Offers a Healthier Charter Service

Jason Jackes of Royal Charters in LeMars is excited about the four new generators recently purchased with RIDE grant funds for his family’s charter bus operation. Installed in luggage compartments, each generator powers three air conditioning/heating units that keep passengers cool or warm while the bus is parked.

As demonstrated during a recent stop in West Des Moines, Royal Charters’ emissions were drastically less than those of competitive charter buses at a recent drum and bugle corps competitive event.

Not only does the generator save emissions from the parked bus, it can power an accompanying food truck with stove and refrigerator, or keep seven additional bus engines warm.

Under a beating sun, other charter buses saturated the area with diesel fumes while young people prepared for the evening competition. Diesel emissions increase incidence and severity of asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis and coughing and wheezing.

Only a small exhaust pipe from the clean diesel generator operated while a busload of staff rested in cool air conditioning. Outside the temperature hovered in the high 90s.

On October 20, 2009, the Environmental Protection Commission approved 12 projects for sub-grant awards under the Reduce Iowa's Diesel Exhaust (RIDE) grant program. The Department had received 49 complete applications requesting funds totaling nearly $11,000,000. After reviewing the applications, the top-scoring 12 projects were selected for funding. When completed, these projects have the potential to cumulatively reduce emissions from diesel exhaust by over 2,100 tons annually. A total of $1,607,638 were awarded.

Questions should be addressed to Jim McGraw, RIDE grant manager at Jim.Mcgraw@dnr.iowa.gov or faxed to his attention at (515) 242-5094.

• Reporting Spreadsheet for Hours Worked (XLS File)
• NCDC Fleet Form (XLS File)
• RIDE Project Awards (XLS File)
• Ways to Limit What Blows Out of Your Exhaust System (PDF File)
  An 8.5” x 14” brochure about the effects of diesel engine exhaust in Iowa with strategies for diesel exhaust reduction
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Logo
  (AI | EPS | JPG | PDF | PNG | TIF)
• EPA Diesel Emissions Quantifier

This project receives funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009