It has been 50 years since American railroads began phasing out steam locomotives and replacing them with more efficient diesel power. A similar evolution may be about to occur.
The Union Pacific Railroad Co. (Omaha, NE) has been testing a hybrid, battery-powered switcher in its vast Chicago railyards to determine if it is a feasible alternative to conventional diesel-electric locomotives. The hybrid switcher is called the “Green Goat,” because “goat” in railroad slang refers to a locomotive used in railyards.