Exhaust Emissions of Selected Railroad Diesel Locomotives

Abstract

Measurements were taken of the composition of exhaust gases from railroad diesel locomotives operating in normal service at various stages of their respective maintenance cycles. A major objective was to determine how the exhaust quality of these engines related to emission standards for heavy-duty diesel powered highway vehicles. Results varied from unit to unit, but generally indicated that improvements would be necessary if such regulations were applied to railroad diesels. Another primary objective was to develop basic information on concentrations of important exhaust constituents and to determine whether existing analytical techniques and instrumentation were sufficiently developed to provide reliable and reproducible data on the composition of diesel engine exhaust and the quality of visible emissions. Results indicate that specific concentration of exhaust constituents are a function of engine design and the physical condition of the engine. Furthermore, currently available analytical equipment can be used with confidence for measuring carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and unburned hydrocarbons in samples taken from the exhaust of diesel locomotives. Techniques and methodology were tested to the extent that reproducible results were obtained for the preceding constituents.