Patent ID: 8590653

Claim:
A vehicle system, comprising: at least one gas turbine engine; at least one of a plug-in to a power grid, an electrical generator, and a braking system, the plug-in to a power grid generating electrical energy when the at least one gas turbine engine is not operating, the electrical generator generating electrical energy when the at least one gas turbine engine is idling, and the braking system generating electrical energy when braking; a resistive grid to transform the electrical energy from the at least one of a plug-in, electrical generator, and braking system into thermal energy by resistive dissipation; at least one heat block in thermal communication with the resistive grid to absorb the thermal energy, wherein the at least one heat block is in thermal communication with the at least one gas turbine engine; and wherein the electrical energy from the at least one of a plug-in, electrical generator, and braking system is generated by a motor connected to a first shaft that is in mechanical communication with a transmission which is in mechanical communication with the at least one gas turbine engine, and wherein, in a first mode, the motor is disengaged from the first shaft and produces substantially no electrical energy and, in a second mode, the transmission is disengaged and the motor is engaged with a second shaft and generates the electrical energy from the at least one of a plug-in, electrical generator, and braking system in response to braking.