# US 2014/0150686 A1 · Locomotive system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150686 A1 - Document ID: US20140150686A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/692,524 - Filed: 2012-12-03 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03 - Assignees: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. - Applicants: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. - Inventors: Scott A. Swenson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150686A1 ## CPC - B61C 17/02: Bunkers; Tanks; Tenders (coachwork B61D); Water or fuel pick-up or scoop apparatus; Water or fuel supply fittings (trackside installations, e.g. bunkers, tanks, for filling locomotives with sand or water B61K11/00) - B61C 5/00: Locomotives or motor railcars with IC engines or gas turbines (characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; engines F02) - Y10T 29/49817: with other than ancillary treating or assembling - Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining - B61C: LOCOMOTIVES; MOTOR RAILCARS (vehicles in general B60; frames or bogies B61F; special railroad equipment for locomotives B61J, B61K) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A fuel tank is configured to be selectively coupled to a chassis of the locomotive based on an anticipated change in axle load capacity of a railroad. The fuel tank includes a body, a coupling device, and a lifting adapter. The coupling device is configured to releasably couple the body to the chassis of the locomotive. The lifting adapter is configured to releasably engage with a lifting implement of a machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel tank configured to be selectively coupled to a chassis of the locomotive based on an anticipated change in axle load capacity of a railroad, the fuel tank including: a body; a coupling device configured to releasably couple the body to the chassis; and a lifting adapter configured to releasably engage with a lifting implement of a machine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel tank of claim 1 further including: a fill port disposed on the body; a fuel level indicator configured to indicate a fill level of the fuel; and a breather tube configured to allow equalization of fluid pressure within the second fuel tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is configured to be selectively coupled to the chassis of the locomotive such that an axle load of the locomotive lies between a maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fuel tank of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is a second fuel tank in relation to a first fuel tank associated with the locomotive. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to receive fuel from the first fuel tank and be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be coupled to the chassis based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be refilled based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The fuel tank of claim 4, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to transfer fuel to the first fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 10 A locomotive system configured to run on a railroad, the locomotive system including: two or more axles; a chassis disposed on the axles; an engine connected to the chassis; a first fuel tank configured to supply fuel to the engine; and a second fuel tank configured to be selectively coupled to the chassis and selectively exchange fuel with the first fuel tank. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The locomotive system of claim 10, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be selectively coupled to the chassis based on an anticipated change in axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The locomotive system of claim 11, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The locomotive system of claim 11, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to receive fuel from the first fuel tank and be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The locomotive system of claim 11, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be coupled to the chassis based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The locomotive system of claim 11, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be refilled based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The locomotive system of claim 11, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to transfer fuel to the first fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The locomotive system of claim 10 further including a transfer system including: a supply line and a return line operatively connected to the first fuel tank and the second fuel tank; and a pump configured to selectively transfer fuel from one of the second fuel tank to the first fuel tank and the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank via the supply line and the return line respectively. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The locomotive system of claim 10, wherein the second fuel tank includes: a body; a coupling device configured to releasably couple the body to the chassis; and a lifting adapter configured to releasably engage with a lifting implement of a machine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The locomotive system of claim 18, wherein the second fuel tank further includes: a fill port disposed on the body; a fuel level indicator configured to indicate a fill level of the fuel; and a breather tube configured to allow equalization of fluid pressure within the second fuel tank. ### Claim 20 A locomotive system configured to run on a railroad, the locomotive system including: two or more axles; a chassis disposed on the axles; an engine connected to the chassis; a first fuel tank configured to supply fuel to the engine, the first fuel tank having a first laden weight imposed on the axles; a second fuel tank configured to be selectively coupled to the chassis and selectively exchange fuel with the first fuel tank, the second fuel tank having a second laden weight imposed on the axles such that an axle load on each of the axles lies between a maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The locomotive system of claim 20, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be selectively coupled to the chassis based on an anticipated change in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The locomotive system of claim 21, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to receive fuel from the first fuel tank and be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The locomotive system of claim 21, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be decoupled from the chassis based on an anticipated decrease in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The locomotive system of claim 21, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be coupled to the chassis based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The locomotive system of claim 21, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to be refilled based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The locomotive system of claim 21, wherein the second fuel tank is configured to transfer fuel to the first fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The locomotive system of claim 20 further including a transfer system including: a supply line and a return line operatively connected to the first fuel tank and the second fuel tank; and a pump configured to selectively transfer fuel from one of the second fuel tank to the first fuel tank and the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank via the supply line and the return line respectively. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The locomotive system of claim 20, wherein the second fuel tank includes: a body; a coupling device to releasably couple the body to the chassis; and a lifting adapter configured to releasably engage with a lifting implement of a machine. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The locomotive system of claim 28, wherein the second fuel tank further includes: a fill port disposed on the body; a fuel level indicator configured to indicate a fill level of the fuel; and a breather tube configured to allow equalization of fluid pressure within the second fuel tank. ### Claim 30 A method of regulating an axle load on an axle of a locomotive, the method including: providing a first laden weight of a first fuel tank to the axle; and selectively providing a second laden weight of a second fuel tank to the axle such that the axle load on the axle defined together by the first and the second laden weights lies between a maximum and minimum axle load capacity of the railroad. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein selectively providing the second laden weight is based on an anticipated change in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 further including transferring fuel from the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank based on an anticipated decrease in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein selectively providing the second laden weight includes decoupling the second fuel tank based on an anticipated decrease in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein selectively providing the second laden weight includes coupling the second fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity. ### Claim 35 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further including refilling the second fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity. ### Claim 36 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 further including transferring fuel from the second fuel tank to the first fuel tank based on an anticipated increase in the maximum and minimum axle load capacity.