The world’s first battery-electric freight train was unveiled in Pittsburgh. Office of the Allegheny County Executive / Facebook The world’s first ever battery- electric freight train was unveiled in Pittsburgh on Friday. The train, known as the FLXdrive battery-electric locomotive, was built by rail-freight company Wabtec and showcased at Carnegie Mellon University as part of a bid by the two organizations to decarbonize rail freight transport in the U.S., The Guardian reported . “A bolder, cleaner, more efficient transportation system is in our grasp,” Wabtec chief executive Raphael Santana said, as The Guardian reported. “This is just the beginning.” In addition to partnering with Carnegie Mellon on this venture, Wabtec is also working with fellow freight company Genesee & Wyoming, according to Railway Age . “This partnership with Carnegie Mellon University and Genesee & Wyoming further strengthens our efforts to decarbonize global rail transportation and will significantly increase freight rail utilization, efficiency, and safety throughout the rail network,” Santana told Railway Age. “The transportation sector is at a critical inflection point. With technologies providing increased battery and hydrogen power capacity, we have the potential to eliminate up to 120 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year in North […]
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