Patent ID: 8371230

Claim:
A rail vehicle system comprising: at least one locomotive each comprising: an engine system for generating electrical power; at least one locomotive traction motor driven by the electrical power; and a plurality of wheels driven by the at least one locomotive traction motor for moving the locomotive along a route; and a plurality of load units each being an individual rail vehicle for carrying freight, the load units being sequentially detachably connected to one another and to the locomotive for moving together along the route, wherein each load unit comprises: a structure for supporting freight to be carried on the load unit, wherein a total freight volume of the load unit is at least fifty percent of a maximum volume of the load unit; a plurality of load unit wheels rotatably attached to the structure for support of the load unit as it travels along the route; a load unit traction motor onboard the load unit and coupled to at least one of the load unit wheels for moving the load unit along the route; an electrical energy storage system onboard the load unit for providing electrical power to the load unit traction motor; and a load unit engine onboard the load unit that provides charging electric energy to the electrical energy storage system.