MBTA Bus Fleet Electrification

The MBTA put out for bid the "Procurement of 40-Foot, Low Floor, Battery Electric Buses".

Not sure this link will work
https://www.commbuys.com/bso/external/b ... tUrl=close

In case not, I uploaded to the Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/a-rfp-1-f-2 ... -ve-21-054

There was also this cool graphic guide
https://archive.org/details/mbta-electr ... e/mode/2up

Looks like the wire is starting to be removed at Watertown Yard:
https://twitter.com/AlmondMilkSucks/sta ... 2548063234

Maybe some of that overhead hardware can be transferred to another agency needing that exact type hdw?

I'm sure there are a few trolley museums that are following developments with interest if the T is willing to sell and at a reasonable price. Otherwise there's a lot of money in scrap to be had there.

I really hope the T either reuses the materials from the 73 route (Belmont St and Trapelo Road), or makes it available at low cost to museums. All of that overhead (span wires, contact wire, anchors, hangers, etc. - everything between the poles, basically) was all new in 2015-2016 and looks like it's in great shape. Frankly, a lot of the line poles along the 73 also look like they're in great shape, too. I wasn't here during the replacement, though, so don't know how many were just repainted versus full replacement.

west point wrote: ↑Tue May 24, 2022 12:19 am Maybe some of that overhead hardware can be transferred to another agency needing that exact type hdw?

Philly could use it.

It's worth noting that the wire in the Watertown yard has not been used since at least 2004/5 when the 4100s were stored and tested there. More recent photos of the wire "in use" were staged. The loop hasn't been contiguous since about 2011 when a dump truck took down all of Main & Mt. Auburn, the line from Watertown yard was never reconnected at that intersection.

You got to see this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-yN8SugWM

That's the party bus model, which includes the Roman candle option. And the French have a "flare" for the overdramatic.

BTW, a Lithium Fluoride fire release Hydrofluoric Acid, which is very toxic.

And you can't douse it with water, right? Imagine if this happened in a tunnel.

bostontrainguy wrote: ↑Fri May 27, 2022 6:15 pm BTW, a Lithium Fluoride fire release Hydrofluoric Acid, which is very toxic.
And you can't douse it with water, right? Imagine if this happened in a tunnel.

Yes and you are in Cascade tunnel with one Battery loco overheating and then woosh..
Hydrofluoric Acid, did not know that

Lithium fluoride is supposedly the most common chemistry. 2LiF + H2O --> Li2O + 2HF (I'm guessing).

What's a few unextinguishable lithium fires if it means you won't have to maintain overhead lines anymore!

Fuel usage for carrying the weight of the batteries around, and energy losses in the charging system would make battery buses less energy efficient than Trackless Trolleys. Cost of replacing the batteries is probably about the cost of maintaining the catenary.

Vast majority of lithium ion batteries are lithium cobalt-oxide (LiCoO2), lithium manganese oxide (LiMnO2), lithium nickel-manganese cobalt (usually referred to as LiNMC), and lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4). The T's New Flyer XE60s use XALT LiNMC batteries, and the XDE40 hybrids use A123 LiFePO4 cells.

Lithium fluoride is nowhere near common.