[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 2 (Monday, January 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 282-286]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-82]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Notice of Funds Availability for High Speed Non-Electric
Passenger Locomotive Demonstration Program
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of funds availability.
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SUMMARY: FRA announces the availability of $3,000,000 in fiscal year
1998 to initiate the development and demonstration of a prototype,
high-speed, non-electric passenger locomotive. Thereafter, depending
upon appropriations in future years, up to an additional $17,000,000
may be available for this program.
Authority
The authority for this program is contained in the Department of
Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year
1998 (Pub.L. 105-66), dated October 27, 1997.
Eligible Participants
Only existing locomotive manufacturers with experience producing
locomotives in revenue service in North America shall be considered as
eligible applicants for this Federal assistance program. It is expected
that this project will be awarded as a cooperative agreement. Other
entities wishing to participate may subcontract with a qualified
locomotive manufacturer/applicant.
Submission of Applications
Five (5) copies of each application should be submitted by February
27, 1998 to the following address: Robert L. Carpenter, Office of
Acquisition & Grants Services, Federal Railroad Administration, Mail
Stop 50, 400 7th St. S.W., Washington, DC 20590.
Points of Contact
Technical questions regarding this solicitation may be directed to:
Robert J. McCown, Director, Technology Development, Federal Railroad
Administration, Mail Stop 20, 400 7th St. S.W., Washington, DC 20590,
TEL 202-632-3250, FAX 202-632-3854.
Requests for forms and administrative questions regarding this
solicitation may be directed to: Robert L. Carpenter, Office of
Acquisition & Grants Services, Federal Railroad Administration, Mail
Stop 50, 400 7th St. S.W., Washington, DC 20590, TEL 202-632-3236, FAX
202-632-3846.
Purpose
FRA is seeking a qualified locomotive manufacturer to demonstrate
an advanced technology high-speed non-electric locomotive capable of
125 mph sustained operations with the goal of ultimately being capable
of 150 mph operations with acceleration characteristics approaching or
equal to current high-speed electric locomotives. The locomotive shall
also be capable of demonstrating enhanced performance using the energy
storage element of the flywheel developed by the Advanced Locomotive
Propulsion System (ALPS) project. As part of the Next Generation High
Speed Rail Program, FRA has identified three critical technology areas
where improved performance or reduced cost could enhance the viability
of high-speed passenger rail service based on incremental improvements
to existing rail infrastructure. These are non-electric locomotives,
grade crossing risk mitigation, and advanced train control systems.
The development of lightweight, high power, non-electric motive
power is critical to the introduction of passenger service at speeds
above 90 mph in the United States. The cost of electrification is
relatively expensive in all but the most densely utilized corridors.
Further, locomotives based primarily on designs appropriate for freight
applications are not practical for speeds above 100 mph, due to poor
acceleration capability and weight, particularly unsprung mass, which
is incompatible with sustained use on typical track structures because
of the large forces generated at high speeds. For operations in
territories
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where operations are shared with freight, high power, lightweight
locomotives are essential to the introduction of high-speed passenger
operations.
The manufacturer/applicant selected as a result of this notice will
provide a locomotive platform to demonstrate the prime mover and will
be capable of demonstrating the prime mover and stored energy system
acting in concert. The platform will include the basic locomotive
structure and systems such as brakes, operating cab compartment, DC
bus, power conditioning equipment, and the traction motors capable of
delivering the power to the rail. The locomotive builder will work with
the team currently working on the ALPS project to integrate the systems
(supplied as Government Furnished Equipment) and provide the power
management controls necessary to demonstrate appropriate acceleration
and energy storage.
FRA is seeking a manufacturer with the experience and facilities
needed to build a locomotive capable of high performance without the
flywheel energy storage system and to later integrate the flywheel
energy storage system onto this locomotive to permit even higher
performance. Although the flywheel energy storage system will be
provided as Government Furnished Equipment, close cooperation will be
required between the locomotive manufacturer and the ALPS project team
to assure smooth integration and successful demonstration of the
flywheel energy storage system.
FRA recognizes that the current market conditions may not justify
the development of high speed non-electric locomotives using solely
private sector funds. However, FRA believes that if a successful
prototype is developed which leads to a production high-speed non-
electric locomotive, there is a high likelihood that a market will
exist for a reasonable number of units. Based on the expected benefit
of this market to the manufacturer selected under this solicitation,
FRA expects that the manufacturer will be willing to share in a
substantial proportion of the cost of this project. While the target
cost sharing from the manufacturer is 50% of the overall project costs,
the level of cost sharing is one of the criteria on which proposals
will be evaluated. The application should describe the intended
source(s) and commitment status of the applicant's cost sharing level.
Cost sharing estimates should reflect the value of equipment to be
furnished by the applicant.
Project Description
The manufacturer will develop and demonstrate a locomotive suitable
for high speed passenger rail service on existing infrastructure. This
development and demonstration will be conducted in two phases, which
may be consecutive or concurrent as specified in the applicant's
proposed project description.
Under the expected cooperative agreement arrangement FRA
anticipates furnishing technical guidance and assistance as appropriate
throughout the project.
Phase I
Develop and demonstrate a high speed non-electric locomotive
capable of rapid acceleration and cruising speeds of 125 mph. The
locomotive may utilize the Government furnished gas turbine engine and
high speed generator or it may utilize alternate components supplied by
the manufacturer. The traction power system of this locomotive should
be capable of receiving both the power produced by the prime mover and
the power expected from the ALPS developed flywheel energy storage
system simultaneously for a period of several minutes, which will total
approximately 8,000 hp.
The locomotive must supply standard 480-volt, 3-phase, head-end
power to support train electrical requirements. If necessary, an
auxiliary power generating system aboard the locomotive may be used to
provide head-end power to permit all prime mover power to be used for
traction.
The manufacturer will be responsible for all engineering, systems
integration, program management, liaison with suppliers of furnished
equipment and manufacturing/fabrication activities required to complete
the project, including the design and development of a control system
to manage the combined locomotive-flywheel demonstration in Phase II.
The Phase I locomotive will then be tested and demonstrated in
service. Testing may be conducted at the Transportation Technology
Center in Pueblo, Colorado or other locations. Service demonstrations
may be conducted on one or more of the high speed rail corridors
designated in section 1010 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 or on the Northeast or Empire Corridors. These
service demonstrations may involve one or more types of passenger cars,
some of which may be equipped with non-standard coupling systems
associated with new high speed equipment becoming available in the
United States. The manufacturer should indicate how this issue will be
addressed. The manufacturer will be expected to prepare and conduct a
test and demonstration plan and to conduct testing activities to
evaluate the performance and revenue service suitability of the
locomotive.
Phase II
The ALPS team is in the third year of a multi-year development
effort to demonstrate a hybrid propulsion system. One component of ALPS
is a lightweight, small 4,000 hp gas turbine engine which is already
proven in service. Two new critical components are being pursued in the
project: a high rotating speed, compact, high power motor/generator and
a high energy flywheel. The FRA believes these technologies together
with an innovative locomotive design can provide a marketable passenger
locomotive to serve operations with speeds over 100 mph.
The first new technology to be demonstrated by the ALPS team is the
high rotational speed, high power motor/generator which can be directly
coupled to prime movers operating at up to 15,000 rpm, as well as to
flywheels operating in the same speed range. At least two units of this
type of motor/generator will be needed for a consist employing the full
ALPS propulsion system: one for the prime mover and one for the
flywheel portion of the system. The Allied Signal concept under
development will be capable of producing up to 4000 hp of direct
current electrical power with very high efficiencies.
The other enabling technology is a flywheel energy storage unit
capable of storing 500 to 600 megajoules of energy, equivalent to up to
4000 hp for several minutes. The flywheel will rotate on the same shaft
as the generator at 7500 to 15,000 rpm. The intent is to use the
flywheel to double total maximum propulsion system power; reduce the
size of the primary power plant required for reasonable acceleration;
provide greater operating efficiency by using regenerated stored
braking energy, and aid in leveling the turbine operating conditions
which is expected to significantly improve overall turbine life,
maintenance, and operating costs. Final designs for the ALPS systems
are currently being developed.
Building on the efforts in Phase I, the manufacturer will integrate
the energy storage flywheel system, and test and demonstrate the
locomotive using the combination of prime mover and flywheel
propulsion. The flywheel
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system may be mounted in the locomotive carbody itself, or it may be
located in a suitable trailing car. Regardless of the location of the
flywheel system, the locomotive manufacturer will be responsible for
system integration and installation. As part of this effort, the
locomotive manufacturer will design and develop a power conversion and
control system to manage the operation of the flywheel energy storage
system and prime mover during idling, acceleration, cruising and
braking and provide this system to the ALPS team for testing in advance
of the installation of the flywheel energy storage system.
The manufacturer will be responsible for all engineering, systems
integration, program management, liaison with suppliers of furnished
equipment and manufacturing/fabrication activities required to complete
the project.
The Phase II locomotive will then be tested and demonstrated.
Testing may be conducted at the Transportation Technology Center in
Pueblo, Colorado or other locations. The service demonstrations may be
conducted on one or more high speed rail corridors designated in
Section 1010 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of
1991. These service demonstrations may involve one or more types of
passenger cars, some of which may be equipped with non-standard
coupling systems associated with new high speed equipment becoming
available in the United States. The manufacturer should indicate how
this issue will be addressed. The manufacturer will be expected to
prepare a test and demonstration plan and to conduct testing activities
to evaluate the performance and revenue service suitability of the
locomotive.
It is expected that the testing and demonstration period for Phases
I and II will be approximately one year. After testing and
demonstration under this project is complete, it is expected that any
Government Furnished Equipment aboard the locomotive will remain aboard
for further cooperative testing, demonstrations, and possible revenue
service demonstrations.
Furnished Equipment and Information
Equipment directly purchased with Government funds will remain
Government property at the completion of the project. Equipment
furnished by the manufacturer/applicant or purchased at the expense of
the manufacturer/applicant will remain the property of the applicant at
the completion of the project.
The Government will make available at no cost for this project one
Allied-Signal TF-40 or TF-50 (depending upon availability) gas turbine
engine capable of delivering approximately 4000 hp using Number 2
Diesel Fuel.
On behalf of the Government, the ALPS team will make available at
no cost for this project one high speed generator for use with the gas
turbine engine and one energy storage flywheel coupled to a second high
speed generator.
The use of the Government furnished gas turbine engine and
associated high speed generator for the Phase I locomotive is at the
option of the proposer. Alternative propulsion equipment may be
proposed.
Note: A specifications package on all of these components is
available from the FRA administrative contact at the address shown
above under ``Points of Contact.''
The ALPS team is currently conducting a market needs survey for
high speed non-electric locomotives. The results of this survey will be
made available to the selected applicant.
Project Schedule
FRA desires to have the demonstration locomotive available as soon
as possible, considering the availability schedule for the Furnished
Equipment.
The Allied-Signal TF-40 gas turbine is currently a production item,
an Allied Signal TF-50 gas turbine with enhanced performance is
expected to become available by September, 1999. Depending on
availability, either a TF-40 or TF-50 could be initially installed in
the locomotive. The TF-50 is designed as an exact-fit replacement for
the TF-40 and could be easily substituted when it becomes available.
The first high speed generator is expected to be available for testing
by the ALPS team September, 1998. The ALPS team will conduct extensive
testing on a combination of the gas turbine and generator in
cooperation with the locomotive manufacturer. The tested turbine-
generator combination is expected to be available for installation by
September, 1999.
For Phase II, the second high speed generator and the flywheel
energy storage system are expected to available by for installation by
October, 1999. The locomotive manufacturer must provide an inverter and
control system linking the DC bus to the high speed generator to the
ALPS team for testing by March, 1999.
The manufacturer shall use these expected availability dates in
preparation of their proposed schedule, which will be considered in the
evaluation of the proposal.
Performance and Design Issues
To be successful, the locomotive system must be able to meet the
broad range of high-speed passenger locomotive requirements, such as
high acceleration, high top speed, high availability, high reliability
and maintainability, while remaining economical to purchase and
operate.
Perhaps the most challenging goal is the ability of the non-
electric locomotive to provide accelerating capabilities similar to
those of existing electric locomotives. This corresponds to an
acceleration from 0 to 125 MPH in approximately 5 minutes pulling a
four car train. In addition, the weight and particularly the forces
induced into the track structure at high speeds must be minimized,
especially under conditions of high cant deficiency. These locomotives
will routinely operate on track shared with freight trains and the
ability to tolerate track irregularities at high speeds without causing
significant track damage is critical. In order to accomplish these
goals the locomotive integrator needs to show particular capability in
the design of axles, trucks, and car bodies appropriate for high speed
operations. Of particular interest will be the methods of supporting
the high power traction motors and braking systems.
In addition, the locomotive must be aerodynamically designed to
reduce air resistance and to minimize noise. The cabs should be
compatible with the state of the art in terms of train control
technology and working environment. Finally, the locomotive must comply
or at a minimum must be adaptable to comply with the most recent crash
energy management strategies as called for under the proposed FRA Tier
II passenger equipment standards.
Specific Performance Targets
These specific performance targets outline the desirable
characteristics of the prototype locomotive. They are not absolutes;
the degree to which these performance targets are met or exceeded will
be an evaluation factor for proposals.
General: The locomotive shall be suitable for revenue service
demonstration. It shall comply with all FRA, Environmental Protection
Agency, Association of American Railroads (AAR) and other relevant
industry and government requirements regarding safety and performance
for all locomotives operating in the United States, including but not
limited to those for occupant protection, braking, noise and exhaust
emissions. The locomotive shall be equipped with
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standard radio and train control equipment suitable for high speed
operation along the intended demonstration corridors.
The following targets apply to both Phase I and Phase II vehicles:
Consist: For planning purposes, performance targets assume a single
locomotive pulling four passenger cars each weighing 55 tons. The
locomotive may also be used with a streamlined cab car or with one
locomotive at each end and eight cars (1-8-1) or in other
configurations. Recognizing that characteristics other than coach
weight, such as aerodynamics and braking capability, will affect the
performance of the train, the proposer may assume that the four cars
are of the Amfleet Type II for performance estimation purposes.
Weight: The target maximum weight for the fully-fueled locomotive
is 200,000 pounds. The target maximum unsprung weight is 6,000 pounds
per axle.
Clearance: The locomotive shall be sized such that it complies with
the clearance diagram for the Northeast Corridor at all expected speeds
and operating conditions.
Crash-worthiness: The locomotive should meet or it should be
possible to modify it at reasonable expense to meet FRA Tier II
passenger equipment crash-worthiness requirements (as published in FRA
PCSS-1, Notice #2 in Volume 62, Number 184 of the Federal Register
dated Tuesday, September 23, 1997.) These requirements call for a total
train crash energy management design. Tier II calls for specific energy
absorption levels in the power car and anti-climb devices. In addition,
all vehicles in the train must be designed to stay upright and in-line
as a goal in any accident.
Range: The locomotive should be capable of a 1000 mile round trip
over average trackage with an average number of stops (the Northeast
Corridor between Washington, DC and New York may be used for reference)
un-refueled with a 15% fuel reserve remaining.
Cant Deficiency: The locomotive must be capable of safe operation
at cant deficiencies up to 9 inches, and preferably up to 12 inches.
Track Conditions: The locomotive shall be capable of safely
operating at track speed on all classes of track, including proposed
Class 7 and 8 high-speed tracks as well as Class 1 yard track. The
locomotive shall be capable of safely negotiating curves up to 20
degrees for operations in yards.
Coupling to Other Trains: It must be possible to couple this
locomotive to other trains in order to move it throughout the rail
system. In this configuration, the locomotives air (friction) brakes
should be fully functional and be controllable by the lead locomotive.
The following performance targets apply to the Phase I locomotive
using the four car consist described above:
Acceleration: From a standing start to 125 mph in five minutes or
less at sea-level and 105 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air temperature.
Maximum Speed: 125 mph with a 10 mph headwind on a 0.1% ascending
grade at sea-level and 105 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air temperature.
The following performance targets apply to the Phase II locomotive
using the four car consist described above:
Acceleration: From a standing start to 150 mph in four minutes or
less at sea-level and 105 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air temperature.
Maximum Speed: 150 mph with a 10 mph headwind on a 0.1% ascending
grade at sea-level and 105 degrees Fahrenheit ambient air temperature.
Design Issues
The following issues must be considered in the design of the
locomotive. Rather than setting specific targets, proposers should
address the features and capabilities of their locomotive platform as
it is proposed for this project.
Braking System: In addition to complying with FRA minimum
regulatory requirements, the braking system should be adequate to
permit safe operation in normal revenue service at the intended Phase I
and Phase II speeds without resulting in unreasonably high brake wear
rates, temperatures or maintenance requirements. The proposer should
address how adequate fail-safe braking performance will be assured
using only four cars attached to a single locomotive at intended Phase
I and Phase II speeds. The braking capability of fully loaded Amfleet
Type II cars may be assumed for determining braking performance.
Environment: The locomotive should be capable of being started and
operated with minimal degradation in performance over the entire range
of temperatures and weather conditions reasonably expected to be
encountered in the continental United States.
Crosswinds: The locomotive should be capable of operating at high
cant deficiency in strong crosswinds from the worst case direction
without risk of rollover and without exceeding the Northeast Corridor
clearance envelope.
Multiple Unit Operation: The design of the locomotive's control
system should not preclude future modification to permit powered
multiple unit operation under single-point control in combination with
other conventional or high-speed locomotives, or with additional units
of the same make and model. The manufacturer should indicate the
multiple unit operational capabilities of the proposed prototype and
the general suitability of the prototype for modification to be fully
capable of multiple unit operation.
Cab Configuration: The cab should include seating for two engine
men and at least one additional seat for observers. All controls and
displays should be designed for easy access and visibility. Seat
comfort, noise level, vibration level, and climate control should be
suitable for comfortable operation for long periods of time without the
need for ear protection.
Coupling Issues: The testing and service demonstration may involve
one or more types of passenger cars, some of which may have non-
standard coupling systems. The manufacturer should indicate how this
issue will be addressed.
External Power: In certain areas, it is desirable that a locomotive
be capable of operating on standard third-rail DC (650 Volts) power at
lower speeds (up to 50-80 mph). The proposer should indicate the
feasibility of adding this capability to the prototype locomotive.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by the FRA technical staff on the
following criteria which may not be weighted equally:
Ability of the locomotive manufacturer to successfully
complete project. It is expected that the manufacturer has available or
will expect to have available in the near future a locomotive platform
on which to base the high speed demonstrator design. Further, the
manufacturer must have the capability to manage the technical and
programmatic aspects of the project and the resources to share in the
cost of the project. Specifically, the manufacturer's organizational
capabilities will be evaluated in terms of technical capability,
administrative capability, management capability, available facilities,
personnel capabilities, financial resources, relationships and
experience with the railroad industry and experience as a supplier of
locomotives.
In order for an application to be considered further, the applicant
must demonstrate adequate capabilities set forth in the preceding
paragraph. Applicants failing to meet these requirements will not be
considered further.
Suitability of the proposed locomotive for revenue service
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demonstration and eventual development into a marketable product: FRA
intends that this project will lay the groundwork which will eventually
lead to the marketable production high speed non-electric passenger
locomotive. The degree to which the proposed work effort will lead to
the a marketable locomotive and this unit's expected suitability for
the target market will be evaluated, including the expected performance
and expected initial and life-cycle cost.
Meeting of performance targets: The degree to which the
proposed locomotive is capable of meeting the performance targets
outlined herein will be evaluated.
Design issues: The adequacy with which the applicant
addresses the design issues outlined herein will be evaluated.
Test and Demonstration: The applicant's demonstrated
experience in conducting locomotive test and demonstration programs
along with a brief outline of a potential test and demonstration
program, especially with regard to issues of in-service demonstration
on the railroad system and potential liability, and the outlined test
program's likelihood of accurately characterizing the performance,
reliability, maintainability, and operating cost of the prototype
locomotive will be evaluated.
Schedule: FRA desires to have the locomotive available as
soon as possible while considering the expected availability dates for
any Government Furnished Equipment to be used.
Overall project cost and proportion of cost the locomotive
manufacturer/applicant is willing to share with the Government.
Content of Applications
In general, an application should address all of the evaluation
criteria outlined herein. Further, the cost and technical portions of
the application should be separated such that the technical and cost
merits of the application can be evaluated separately.
Technical
The technical portion of the application should be 50 pages or less
and shall contain the following information:
1. Standard Form (SF) 424 (Rev. 4/92)--Application for Federal
Assistance.
2. An executive summary of the proposed project not exceeding two
pages in length.
3. A description of the applicant's qualifications to complete the
project, including a description of the proposed organizational team
members and their individual qualifications.
4. Description of the locomotive platform on which the high-speed
demonstration locomotive is to be based and a description of its
suitability for high-speed use with regard to the requirements outlined
in this solicitation.
5. Description of the proposed work to design and fabricate the
high-speed demonstration locomotive and the expected performance of the
locomotive for both Phase I and Phase II. Description of how the design
issues herein will be addressed.
6. Brief outline of a potential test and demonstration program,
including duration and provisions for maintaining and repairing the
locomotive during testing and demonstration. The applicant should
describe its own test facilities as well as its experience working with
and ability to coordinate and cooperate with Amtrak, the Transportation
Technology Center, railroads and other relevant parties, as well as the
means by which liability issues will be addressed during the test and
demonstration phase.
7. A proposed schedule for the entire project.
8. A description of how the project will comply with the Buy
American Act (41 U.S.C. 10a-10c) and the domestic content restrictions
set forth in Section 331 of the 1998 DOT Appropriations Act.
Cost
The cost portion of the application shall contain a cost estimate
for the proposed effort sufficiently detailed by element of cost for a
meaningful evaluation. The estimate shall be summarized in an easily
readable format and broken down for each year of the proposed work, and
shall include-the following information:
1. A breakdown of estimated labor costs by category and quantity
(to the person-year level is sufficient), materials costs, significant
special tooling costs (if any), travel expenses and other costs
sufficient to evaluate the expected level of effort in project.
Technical alternatives must be separately priced.
2. Complete breakdown of any major subcontracts.
3. The description of the nature and magnitude of costs the
applicant is willing to bear (cost sharing), including a certification
that the applicant has secured the appropriate cost share funding
levels and identifying the source(s) of funding.
4. An estimate of the cost of a production version of both Phase I
and Phase II locomotives expressed in 1998 dollars, assuming an initial
order for 25 units. This estimate should separately state the
locomotive manufacturer's un-reimbursed development costs associated
with this project and an explanation of how this estimate was derived.
5. Standard Form (SF) 424A (Rev. 4/92)--Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs.
6. Certifications and Assurances--Packet includes certifications
for--
(a) Debarment/Suspension/Ineligibility
(b) Drug-free Work Place
(c) Lobbying
(d) Indirect Costs
(e) SF 424B (Rev. 4/92) Assurances--Non-Construction
7. Submission of a Minority Business Enterprise/Disadvantaged
Business Enterprise program description in compliance with 49 CFR Part
23.
8. Identification of cognizant (Federal or non-Federal) audit
agency and date of last audit, or advise if never audited. Include
name, address, telephone and point of contact.
9. Identification of (a) authorized negotiators for your
organization and (b) the official(s) with authority to legally bind
your organization to the terms of the Cooperative Agreement. Include
name(s), address, and telephone numbers.
Dated: December 26, 1997.
Jolene M. Molitoris,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-82 Filed 1-2-98; 8:45 am]
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