Rail Electrification Council, Part 1 of 2

Rail Group On Air

Is electrification—or re-electrification—a viable means of rail propulsion, particularly for North American freight? In this first of a two-part series, Jim Hoecker and Steve Griffith of the Rail Electrification Council describe the organization’s mission and objectives, and discuss what’s happening with respect to the broader electric grid. How will its transition away from fossil fuels affect the railroads? What are the potential effects of electrification on the railroads? Why should railroads plan to electrify? Are there lessons to be learned from rail electrification in Europe and the Far East? Is there a current example of a rail road right-of-way being used to support transmission development? What is the the role of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in transmission planning and siting? Are there any policies or funding that can prompt the railroads to electrify? Hoecker and Griffith discuss these questions with Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.