Hello Thanks for joining us for sustaining us here on KLC RSPB I'm David Huizar rail transportation trains Are used to transport just about everything People feel raw materials Manufactured goods and while electric trains Using renewable energy can offer a more carbon free journey The commonly used diesel engine well that can Be a problem on the environment certainly not as bad as planes or the Tens of millions of cars on the road However trains Still produce things like nitrogen dioxide carbon dioxide And particulate matter that greatly contribute to pollution In our air water and soil as Well as what many claim is climate changing global warming And then many health experts have warned diesel emissions Cause respiratory health problems even cardiovascular Problems possibly cancer So how do we remedy The tried and true old school diesel motor and the giant Locomotives that houses them Well how about recycling We recycle Bottles plastics cardboard boxes so why not locomotives Well an Orange County company located in FULLERTON could Be onto something We recycle everything Cars Paper Trash When it comes to the end of the life of a locomotive Why would it be any different My name is Dave Cook I work for real propulsion systems and we're Developing a retrofit battery conversion systems For switcher and passenger locomotives I founded the company With N in 2014 I have a background in test engineering Race cars airplanes jet engines and Now locomotives the locomotive was figured out a long time And we're just integrating modern technology G where it fits in the locomotive What we're working on Is removing the diesel engine and putting in a battery Pack that provides the energy needed to drive The electric motors that are there and what we're doing is We're using these locomotives in places where batteries work Switch wheel locomotives and small rail yards that don't go long Distances and passenger locomotives that start and stop Constantly kind of like a hybrid electric car So we're currently Working on the only battery locomotive that's operating In North America that is on a full sized locomotive Chassis The battery technology is finally caught up in the past Decade There was a lot of work before where they tried to have The batteries do things they shouldn't Now is the point in time where Combining these things together just makes sense Reason a small company is doing this is the bigger companies are Continuing NLD iterations of the old Technology that they've invested in and this Is an industry where equipment last 35 years So Until we find a way to get equipment out there and show that Last five to 10 years it's considered experimental And people in the industry itself are hesitant to Risk their careers trying out new technology like this My name is Ian Stewart I am president of Real Propulsion Systems We have developed and now have in-service The only all electric locomotive in the world's We've started this company and developed this locomotive Specifically because we recognize that rail Equipment is one of the largest producers of pollution in metropolitan Areas The way we've applied this locomotive And our technology in it allows us to provide a Zero emissions solution that is equivalent in Utility to the existing locomotives that are out There doing work every day our 9 9 9 locomotive May look brand new but it's actually over 50 years old And that's because a locomotive Is the most durable and sustainable vehicle That's ever been developed so we're able to take Existing locomotive chances upgrade them much Like remodeling a house and equip Them with modern batteries and modern electronics And make them Work just like an electric car would We have a much more sustainable approach because We're not having a manufacturer all of this heavy steel And we're able to reuse it and keep it from being scrapped And recycled which also takes a lot of of Energy So I'd like to take you on a tour of how we Take a legacy or vintage locomotive That may or may not be currently in service right now And convert that to a zero emissions modern Locomotive So our process of RPF starts With finding an existing locomotive much like This GP 9 switch or locomotive that may or may Not be in use currently and Assess it for the condition of the chassis And the trucks and the traction motors and the brake system If it is a worthy candidate or core we Call it to do a conversion then we go back And remove the roof and the Side walls and remove the engine and generator Which is a very large thousand To 1000 to 3000 horsepower engine diesel Engine and generator and Replace it with batteries and electronics So we're now inside the cab of an F nine Locomotive and this locomotive is Was built in the 80s and These are the controls and all of this is retained in Our conversions so most of the all The control interface for the operators stays The same for safety reasons So any certified Engineer train engineer can come on board any Of our converted locomotives and operate it the same way They would operate any other diesel electric locomotive You Are now in the engine room of an F fifty nine P H passenger Locomotive and this locomotive is equipped with a twelve Cylinder v seven 10 Engine manufactured originally By EMT and it's an oh it's a diesel locomotive Engine it is eight thousand five hundred Twenty cubic inches and is 3000 horsepower and what we do is We take this engine that's connected to this very large generator Up here and we remove the roof of the locomotive And then take a very large crane and lift This sixteen thousand some pound engine Out of the locomotive So this is an F fifty nine P H locomotive like you've just seen But this one has the engine removed already we're getting Ready to remove the generator so you have this large space And this is where all the batteries that will power This locomotive go and in order to remove Any of this equipment and install our batteries locomotives Like this have removable patches roof sections And you can see here that we've actually left This section of the hatch which is the pulling hatch off And the hatch that's in front of me here that was Over the engine is the dynamic brake hatch and it Removes it much the same manner so locomotives are fairly Simple to disassemble They're just really heavy so it takes a lot of special equipment and a lot Special training to be able to do it properly once We've converted the locomotive the result Is something similar to This our 9 9 9 locomotive Which is built on a GP 38 chassis which is Just a slightly newer version of The GP nine chassis that I just showed you The trucks and the traction motors and the breaks Are all retained and rebuilt To new so how do we charge an all electric locomotive Well it's very similar to an electric vehicle Where you have a charge port on the vehicle that's connected to An electricity source plug in The connector to the vehicle electricity You transfer through from the source into The battery system Where the engine and generator used To be is now floor to ceiling front to back batteries Over 900 of them And the key to our Technology and why it's so sustainable and important Is this is a platform that's over 50 years old this locomotive Is over 50 years old but it is now zero emissions like New and we're using batteries out of Free used electric vehicles So when electric vehicles to no Longer go the distance it needs to be remove the batteries they Normally throw them away We can now acquire those Batteries and continue to use them for four years longer In locomotives So this makes this law Motive one of if not deemed most sustainable Vehicle on the planet The goal is to apply The technology that we've developed on a larger scale and Build up fleets of switcher locomotives And passenger locomotives for commuter rail to allow them To operate at zero emissions with better performance And reliability than they currently are And we believe we can Do this in Southern California by the time the Olympics come in 2028 Joining me now to discuss this further Is Paul Dyson Paul is with Rail Propulsion Systems He's been Working in the railroad industry in a variety of capacities since the late 1960s both in the UK and the US Paula's a self-proclaimed staunch environmentalist working Over the decades on sustainability and enviro projects to help Reduce highway congestion and ultimately reduce air pollution Paul thanks So much for being here It's a pleasure Thank you Quite Resumé I hate to AJI but you've been working on this for five decades Tell What you've been doing I'm afraid so yes I get I couldn't find the exit so I'm being involved in Operations and planning and analysis and More recently in finance and then for the last few years as a consultant Obviously we had environmental concerns back in the 60s 70s there was a formation of the Environmental Protection Agency however Where you're concerned were these mega environmental Issues even back on their radar then Paul and obviously I'm sort of comparing that to The hyper vigilance of environmental issues today I think from my point of view because I was just a teenager Then and I was very much focused on the specific Issues of transportation I'm sure there was some deep thinkers Around that were concerned about early stages Global warming and air pollution and so on but I was Pretty much a one horse one horse circus I guess and unfocused on transportation So bring things back here to Southern California And departing the UK you know here in SoCal Obviously if you don't have a car you're kind of out of luck I mean really the car is a lifeline To get anywhere in this town What is What are you folks doing over at real propulsion systems in terms Of advancing transportation options both here In the south and enter the US so we're not so reliant on our cars many of which These monster SUV four wheel drive gas guzzling Polluters and The key thing that we're trying to do in our own in our own small way Is to improve the efficiency Of the delivery of the systems if you like with Strong supporters of Metrolink obviously and they build up A system over the years we're aligned on diesel engines And while the diesel engine is tried and true being around Long time we think it's time to move on to a cleaner And more sustainable alternative which is some form Of electrification What we focused on two Things one is cleaning up existing diesel engines To see them through this transition phase into it like New electric traction and then working on battery Systems first to enhance the diesels and then after That to be a standard system of Hauling the trains yet And you mentioned the word diesel engine is being tried and true that it Is however still today there are so many trains and Trucks out on the roads and the rail That rely heavily on that diesel engine So is your plan practical Absolutely Electric traction electric propulsion Has been around almost as long In fact in some cases longer An engine just being brutally Challenge circumstances that led to The widespread use of the petrol engine and Then a little bit later on the diesel engine But we don't see Any real issue with using our technology The key to what we want to do is to use Sustainable renewable energy To transmit the transmit that to The trains and then use that energy to power the trains Instead of hauling a power plant around which is Which is powered by fossil fuels You Gain your energy from solar from wind power You can transfer it by different means to the locomotive Then you can hold the train What we're focusing on is batteries I'll get into that a bit more in a moment Well speaking of batteries You taxi me electric grid I mean obviously you're reducing air Pollution with that smoky diesel engine but what About the energy grid No not at all In fact One of we planned three phases If you like use the batteries To power your electric automobiles initially but they can only Work up to a certain level or down to a certain level of efficiency We can and we use those batteries recycle them Put them in our locomotives used down to the next level of Efficiency After that we can put them into station Containers or storage modules which can be Recharged overnight with solar power Solar power in the daytime wind power at nighttime Then they can charge up the locomotives when they're in storage So you have a whole system here of Continually reusing good components so as long As possible what are the I guess I should say challenges With a rail propulsion prototype You're working on because obviously I'm sure you're trying to get all the transportation agencies all the rail Industry basically anyone who'll listen to believe in your product And your prototype It's a startup And it's funded every day It's a real challenge Money Is always a challenge and credibility is a challenge Say that we have the expertise I have no doubt about That we have the smart people here in Southern California And all of California We're perfectly capable of coming up with these systems Just as good as anything that the Japanese the Germans Or the Chinese can come up with So we know we have the expertise Our guys actually mostly come from Cal Poly so Very much homegrown As far as the agencies are concerned The key for passenger Business is it's got to be reliable So when people people won't Use it if it's not And so they look to us To come up with a reliable product That's gonna run the trains on time every day And that's what we're Working on is developing prototypes and testing them so That we can we can reliably say yes we can do The job Thirty seconds Answer me this question if you would be so kind Is there even a future in passenger rail given all these New technologies like autonomous vehicles Absolutely Passenger rail is unique in its ability to move Large numbers of people and to do so in safety Safety features of improving all the time The wheel has been around three thousand years so that The basic technology all of these systems You but the the passenger train Has evolved so much even in my career over the last 40 or 50 Years the improvements in reliability and Passenger comfort and control systems and so on You know there's a there's a great future for all the ice and with Rail propulsion systems Thank you so much for being here Thanks for the opportunity And now from The recycling of locomotives to the recycling of electron Waste many of us take our old cell phones or old Computers that we don't use anymore to a local e waste recycler so We don't harm the environment However do we really Know if some of these devices are in fact getting recycled at all Producers Katie Campbell and Ken CHRISTIANSEN with Public Media Partner Earth Picks have our story So everybody different scenario one we're buying equipment We look around through what they have and we started haggling over the price So any questions will I think it's right up here about a quarter of a mile Jim Puckett is leading a team that's Going undercover to find out what actually happens to electronics That are sent to U.S. recyclers Most of the public still Thinks the recyclers are recycling and that they're going to recycling right there In America They're really exporters and they don't care what Happens at the other end shows us 10 meters out of pocket Is the founder of the Basel Action Network a Seattle based watchdog Group that investigates the afterlife of electronics We're basically Trying to stop the rich countries from dumping their hazardous waste on The poorer countries In this case Hong Kong Would be really Running away to get inside a local Driver and translator posed as U.S. buyers Our team Would have a With people Buying new computers and other electronics more frequently than ever Electronic waste is now the fastest growing waste stream in the world On top of that it contains toxic materials that can poison People and the environment This investigation Began months ago when Pockets team put G.P.S.

Inside 200 old computers printers and TV's Then they dropped them off at locations across the country at a recycling Facilities donation centers and electronics take back programs Including some of the industry's most reputable companies We sat back and said where are they going to go And the little Devices went out and spoke to us saying This is where I am Pockets group partnered with Carlo Roddy of the Sensible City Lab The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Tracking is really the first In order to design a better system One of surprising things We discover is how far waste travels You see this kind of Global airways flows that actually almost covered a whole the Whole planet Each device traveled an average of about 2500 Miles and around a third of the tracked computers were exported Of those most ended up here Hong Kong is home to one of the world's busiest ports Ships Deliver more cargo than is possible to inspect As a result Hong Kong has a reputation for being a transit point for illegal trade And smuggling of all kinds Most of the exported track devices led Puckett to a little known part of Hong Kong called the New Territories That's really a frontier It's really cowboy land out there It followed one track printer here to a place that calls itself A farm Farm land that it's a great farm in where We would have no idea that there was A huge scrap yard there until you look over The fence Inside they found printers being taken apart by immigrant Workers I'm looking for asset tags to tell me where The material came from I look for the environmental harm issues I look for the workstations to see how those workers might be exposed Many of the workers handle hazardous material without protective Gear One concern printer toner A probable carcinogen There's no protections of this labor force There's no occupational laws that are going to protect them Jackson Lao is the head of the Hong Kong Recycling Association He runs a licensed recycling facility in the new territories And he says the junkyards in the area that import waste are unlicensed And unregulated and lives off online Top Guy while vaulting Dingo illegal g'day gotcha knuckles May I Go oh using veggie burger things and yada Yada Oh God Yeah I would but you've got a Hong Kong lady now I've got The tubes many mini tubes thrown on the ground here The white fluorescent tubes light up LCD screens Each of them contains mercury and even a tiny amount can be Neurotoxin day in and day out These workers are completely Oblivious to this hazardous smashing windows The tubes are Breaking right in front of their faces and the mercury is very Talks leaving you guys that hold down a So I ask him that if he knows the Wire tubes are danger lies he has no idea He hasn't the United States is the only developed nation that hasn't Ratified an international treaty to stop first world countries From dumping waste on developing nations other developed Nations said waste collection mandates and require electronics Manufacturers to pay for domestic waste processing Further The United States has no federal laws requiring electronic To be recycled Half of states allow electronics to be dumped In landfills John Sugary and is the CEO of Electronics Recycling International the largest waste recycling company In the United States which takes hundreds of employees In each facility to do the real work of electronic Recycling He says that some recyclers are exporting to cut costs Because in the last two years their biggest source of revenue Has plummeted At the height of the market when we were go to sell Steel plastic aluminum gold Silver palladium copper we were getting 14 To 15 cents a pound more than we are today Dell Reconnect An exciting program that makes Getting rid of old technology easy Dell was the first major computer Manufacturer to ban the export of non-working electronics to developing Countries They partnered with Goodwill allowing people to Drop off old computers of any brand for free to be refurbished Or recycled The electronics are either dismantled on site or sent To Dell's recycling partners Dell says that more than 400 million Pounds of E waste has been diverted from U.S. landfills because of their program But the Basel Action Network an M.I.T.

investigation concluded That tracking devices placed in old computers and dropped off at participating Goodwill locations ended up in Hong Kong China Taiwan And Thailand Beth Johnson manages Dell's program is There something that did not follow the system We would Certainly want to know about it and we would certainly take corrective action in a written Statement Goodwill Industries said it's committed to responsible recycling And encouraged its member organizations which are autonomous To review their contracts with Dell Back in Hong Kong Puckett finds more clues to the scale of the problem Laptop Coming up here in Hong Kong and new territories Outside the school system Puckett finds electronics from U.S. Police Department's Jails hospitals and libraries government He's always trying to save taxpayers money So they are obliged In some cases to always do the cheapest thing For now market forces Are driving waste exports throw you on the here without a federal Law banning the export of e waste There's little incentive for The industry to change Thanks Katie Campbell and Ken Christensen With Earth Picks with that report For more information about our program Just click on KOCO stories and then click contact us to send us Your questions and comments or story ideas so we can hear from you Thank you so much for joining us for this edition of Sustaining US Here on KLC s PBS I'm Dave and this are