DB Cargo UK and DB Cargo AG conduct

DB Cargo UK is committed to doing its bit to support the environment and lead the way in green and sustainable freight transportation across Great Britain.

Recently, the company welcomed colleagues from DB Cargo AG, its German rail freight operator parent company, to support DB Cargo's alternative fuels project.

To demonstrate the benefits of using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel, DB Cargo UK worked with Group Technical Support (GTS) and Toton TMD to facilitate load bank testing of a Class 60 locomotive. The testing also aimed to compare the effect of HVO fuel on locomotive exhaust gas emissions and performance to that of standard red diesel..

The Class 60 locomotive was fully fuelled with standard red diesel and connected to the Toton TMD Load Bank facility for the performance testing of the locomotive engine over its whole power range. To accurately monitor exhaust gas emissions at each power position from Idle to Full Load, a purpose-built exhaust extension tube was fitted to the locomotive to calm the exhaust gases. The emissions of nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, and particle mass were measured twice in a standardised measuring cycle (F-cycle) at three load points.

After the first test was completed, the diesel fuel was completely drained, and the locomotive was refuelled with