# Danbury battery electrics?



## Willbridge (Apr 10, 2022)

An interesting article.

Why they de-electrified the Danbury branch (msn.com)


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## AmtrakMaineiac (Apr 11, 2022)

Even if the catenary had been retained, chances are it would need renewing and upgrading to 60 Hz much as the main line was, so we might still be having this discussion. 

Could a battery electric have enough power to handle that long a run with the grades mentioned? We haven't had much experience with battery electrics yet.


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## Dutchrailnut (Apr 11, 2022)

Danbury






portal.ct.gov


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## Dutchrailnut (Apr 11, 2022)

Danbury Branch Electrification Feasibility Study






portal.ct.gov


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## John819 (Apr 11, 2022)

AmtrakMaineiac said:


> Even if the catenary had been retained, chances are it would need renewing and upgrading to 60 Hz much as the main line was, so we might still be having this discussion.
> 
> Could a battery electric have enough power to handle that long a run with the grades mentioned? We haven't had much experience with battery electrics yet.


Almost certainly would need to have recharging facility in Danbury, as unlikely that could do a round trip from the main line at Norwalk. The other factor to consider is that the line in single tracked, so expanded service would require adding track so that trains could pass. The battery/diesel engines proposed were designed to use the battery only from GCT to the end of the Park Avenue tunnel (about 3 miles). 

Abandoning the electrification on the Danbury branch was one of the low points in the saga of the little railroad that couldn't.


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## west point (Apr 11, 2022)

Whatever MNRR finally buys will of course be the ideal equipment to purchase for the Danbury line. IMO the Amtrak proposed ALC - power car may the best set up. That solves the Park Avenue weight problems. However, for Danbury line that would mean both a 3rd rail and overhead CAT setup. Since the MNRR west side connection and east side connection implementation dates are somewhat unknown how a first order will be specified is still to be determined.


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## jis (Apr 11, 2022)

I thought MNRR is either very close or has already placed order for a third rail dual mode with Siemens. Maybe @Dutchrailnut has the most definitive info on this. I recall that MNRR was not going with the Amtrak setup.


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## John819 (Apr 11, 2022)

west point said:


> Whatever MNRR finally buys will of course be the ideal equipment to purchase for the Danbury line. IMO the Amtrak proposed ALC - power car may the best set up. That solves the Park Avenue weight problems. However, for Danbury line that would mean both a 3rd rail and overhead CAT setup. Since the MNRR west side connection and east side connection implementation dates are somewhat unknown how a first order will be specified is still to be determined.


A quad-mode (3rd rail, overhead cat, battery, and diesel) engine would be quite a bit too heavy for the Park Avenue viaduct. 
The "solution" would be a tender car with the electrical equipment. I think it more likely that MN goes with either battery/diesel or battery/diesel/third rail.


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## Dutchrailnut (Apr 11, 2022)

MN has ordered dual modes , no fantasy,no catenary no battery car , first 19 or so to be delivered before 2026.

In December 2020, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved a Federal Transit Administration-funded $335 million contract for 27 dual-mode locomotives based on the Charger design. The new locomotives will replace the 27 existing GE Genesis locomotives used on the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, Harlem Line, and Danbury Branch; they will use third rail electric power to enter Grand Central Terminal. The first 19 locomotives are scheduled to be completed in mid-2026. The contract has options for 144 additional locomotives: 32 for Metro-North, 66 for the Long Island Rail Road, 20 for the New York State Department of Transportation (for Amtrak _Empire Service_ trains), and 25 for the Connecticut Department of Transportation.[61][62]from Siemens Charger - Wikipedia


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