New Aerodynamic Technology for Double-Stack Intermodal Trains Promises Fuel Efficiency and Reduced Emissions

Union Pacific recently unveiled its Arrowedge® production version, piloting the employee-designed aerodynamic technology for fuel and locomotive emissions reductions on double-stack intermodal freight trains.

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A double-stack intermodal train accommodates freight containers placed two high, one on top of the other, for better ride quality and rail car utilization. Positioned on top of the first freight container, the 48-foot Arrowedge(® has a tapered body that allows air to more easily flow around the train’s top frontmost containers. This reduces aerodynamic drag for more efficient transport of customers’ goods. In addition, drag reductions decrease the amount of locomotive power required to propel the train.

Trains are increasingly being used to fuel-efficiently transport bulk cargo on land. According to Union Pacific, a single train can replace 300 trucks, decreasing emissions and reducing stress on the nation’s road and bridge infrastructure. They also assert they can move one ton of freight 480 miles on a single gallon of diesel fuel, the equivalent of a standard mid-size car getting roughly 200 miles per gallon.

Union Pacific holds two United States patents for the Arrowedge®, with additional U.S. and Canadian patents pending. The company expects to introduce the technology into double-stack train service between Joliet, Ill., and Long Beach, Calif., this month.

 

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