Association of American Railroads Alternative Fuels Program

Alternative fuels can be used in locomotive diesel engines as a means to reduce fuel costs or as fuel extenders when sufficient quantities of suitable lower cost fuels are not available. Broadened fuel purchasing guidelines, based on engine fuel tolerance limitation tests, offer a potential for reducing fuel costs. Fuels such as alcohols, certain vegetable oils, shale oils, and heavy oil blends can be used to extend fuel supplies. Fuel tolerance limitations of existing engines can be increased through modifications such as staged injection or the use of ceramic coatings. This paper describes the methods used by the Association of American Railroads Alternative Fuels Research Program to determine engine fuel tolerance limitations and extend engine fuel tolerance limits.