Work

A Multidimensional Comparative Assessment of Diesel and Battery-Electric Shunting Locomotives in In-Plant Railway Operations: A Case Study from the Seza Cement Plant

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This single-site industrial case study compares a leased diesel shunting locomotive with a battery-electric shunting locomotive used for the same class of in-plant railway tasks at the Seza Cement Plant. The evidence base comprises plant leasing and fuel records, equipment specifications, site-reported electricity indicators, operator-reported operational observations, direct CO2 calculations, and documented occupational safety and health (OSH) functions; it is not a controlled or statistically replicated time–motion experiment. The diesel system incurred a monthly lease cost of USD 10,000 and consumed approximately 1800 L/month, equivalent to 21,600 L/year. Cross-checking the direct CO2 calculation with 2.692 and 2.683 kg CO2/L factors gives 58.1 and 58.0 t CO2/year, respectively. The approximately 24-month payback is treated as a plant-reported investment indicator and evaluated through a normalized sensitivity model because disaggregated costs for locomotive purchase, charging infrastructure, battery replacement, and historical maintenance are not available in the case-study dataset. Operational evidence is reported descriptively: the 20–40% reduction in task time is an operator-reported range rather than a statistical mean; the 7–9 min value refers to the complete 10-wagon weighing maneuver; and 25 loaded wagons (approximately 1450 t) represents the maximum documented field movement rather than a manufacturer-rated capacity. A force-balance check shows that this maximum movement is feasible only if total equivalent resistance remains below approximately 5.41 N/kN, using the 77 kN catalog tractive effort as an upper bound. The battery-electric locomotive produces no local exhaust emissions at the point of use and incorporates SIL 2 remote-control functions, a deadman function, emergency-stop controls, camera support, lighting, and warning systems; these features indicate risk-control capability but do not constitute a measured accident-rate reduction. The study therefore contributes facility-scale, evidence-bounded information for low-speed, repetitive industrial shunting within a defined operating area rather than a general proof of battery-electric superiority across railway applications.

Source: Processes

DOI: 10.3390/pr14172689

Authors: Burak Samet Özgen, Cevher Kürşat Macit, Burak Tanyeri, Ukbe Usame Uçar

Institution: Fırat University

Language: English

Topic: transportation and logistics systems

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Climate action, Affordable and clean energy, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896