Passenger Trains > Chargers and Teslas?

Once the Chargers take over AutoTrain, I wonder if Amtrak would consider offering premium charging for Tesla automobiles, Rivian trucks, etc?

The 480v system produced from the locomotive HEP is what Tesla uses in high speed level 3 charging.

So, a traveler could drive from Miami or Naples North to Sanford, recharge on the train, and have 300 miles capacity when they get the car in Lorton.

A single auto carrier,with appropriate ports, $100 premium fee over the regular fare. With higher speed charging just one or two vehicles need to be charged at a time.

Posted from Android

I like your thinking, and hope that some Amtrak people are motivated to be advocates within that system of beuractratic inertia.

Does a single locomotive have the HEP kw output to add the load of charging automobile batteries ?

Posted from Android

I'm under the impression that 18 cars is about the limit for HEP from one locomotive. Probably wouldn't be enough current left to do any good by the time it got to the auto racks.
 

Do the Chargers have the ability to have HEP coming off both of them at the same time? I know you can't do this with a P40/P42.

This idea may also require some grid management. Charge cars etc in the middle of the night when kitchen ovens and many train lights etc are off.

Posted from Android

I can see the convenience, but can anyone see the irony with EV's being charged with diesel power?

At the rate EVs are catching fire on auto racks. Amtrak might end up banning them from Auto Train
 

westcoastrails Wrote:
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> Do the Chargers have the ability to have HEP
> coming off both of them at the same time? I know
> you can't do this with a P40/P42.

No they don't. 

NSDTK Wrote:
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> At the rate EVs are catching fire on auto racks.
> Amtrak might end up banning them from Auto Train
>  


Yup

Posted from Android

ts1457 Wrote:
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> I can see the convenience, but can anyone see the
> irony with EV's being charged with diesel power?

i sure can............

66

Are there currently any EV charging stations at either Lorton or Sanford terminals?

All EV's are charged off of the exisiting power grid.  Which generation may be nuclear, natural gas, coal, wind or solar depending on location.

rkennedy2 Wrote:
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> All EV's are charged off of the exisiting power
> grid.  Which generation may be nuclear, natural
> gas, coal, wind or solar depending on location.

if fossil fuels are so bad, why are ev charging stations allowed to receive their power to charge ev's from fossil fuel sources?

just curious.........

66

 

rkennedy2 Wrote:
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> Are there currently any EV charging stations at
> either Lorton or Sanford terminals?

I haven't observed any.  Amtrak takes your car as soon as you arrive, and moves it into the loading process.

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> rkennedy2 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > All EV's are charged off of the exisiting power
> > grid.  Which generation may be nuclear,
> natural
> > gas, coal, wind or solar depending on location.
>
> if fossil fuels are so bad, why are ev charging
> stations allowed to receive their power to charge
> ev's from fossil fuel sources?
>
> just curious.........
>
> 66
>
>  

There are a number of solar powered charger stations out there too. 

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goneon66 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > rkennedy2 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > All EV's are charged off of the exisiting
> power
> > > grid.  Which generation may be nuclear,
> > natural
> > > gas, coal, wind or solar depending on
> location.
> >
> > if fossil fuels are so bad, why are ev charging
> > stations allowed to receive their power to
> charge
> > ev's from fossil fuel sources?
> >
> > just curious.........
> >
> > 66
> >
> >  
>
> There are a number of solar powered charger
> stations out there too. 

and that has NOTHING to do with my question!!!

66

California just finished building a big charging station with like 500 stalls or something a few months ago near Colinga Jct which I believe is near Bakersfield. Apparently the entire charging station is powered by diesel generators....

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > goneon66 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > rkennedy2 Wrote:
> > >
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> >
> > > -----
> > > > All EV's are charged off of the exisiting
> > power
> > > > grid.  Which generation may be nuclear,
> > > natural
> > > > gas, coal, wind or solar depending on
> > location.
> > >
> > > if fossil fuels are so bad, why are ev
> charging
> > > stations allowed to receive their power to
> > charge
> > > ev's from fossil fuel sources?
> > >
> > > just curious.........
> > >
> > > 66
> > >
> > >  
> >
> > There are a number of solar powered charger
> > stations out there too. 
>
> and that has NOTHING to do with my question!!!
>
> 66

Just letting you know that NOT ALL charging stations are powered from fossil fuel sources. 

Even if the engines had enough HEP capability (and they don't), the cars between the engines and the autoracks would have to be able to handle the extra current.  Electricity isn't free.  To generate enough of it on a train, to handle a bunch of EVs, takes fuel, a lot of it.