¿Es el gas natural licuado una alternativa a la tracción ferroviaria no electrificada?

In order to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuel consumption, the rail transport sector is analysing various alternatives for non-electrified lines. As an alternative to diesel, this study analyses the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in rail traction. A predictive model is developed that estimates emissions on different routes. The model is fitted with real data obtained in pilot tests. In these tests, a train with two engines, one diesel and one LNG, was used. The methodology is applied to assess the impact on consumption and emissions of the two fuels on a narrow-gauge commuter line. A significant improvement is observed in some indicators, while in others the differences are minor. The conclusions that can be drawn are that operational CO₂ (greenhouse gas) emissions are lower in the LNG engine than in the diesel engine; CO emissions are lower in the diesel engine and emissions of other pollutants (nitrogen oxide and particulate matter) are higher in the diesel engine by several orders of magnitude. Keywords: Alternative fuel; Liquefied Natural Gas; Energy consumption; Emissions; Railways