What's the future of diesel tow vehicles?

[DonandBonnie]

The rumors flying around the transportation industry are saying that railroad locomotive and semi truck manufacturers may have to shut down because it's technologically impossible to meet the new EPA emissions standards. Has anyone heard whether any of this will affect our future ability to get tow vehicles?

[Slufoot733]

Having worked for the railroad for 34 years I can tell you first hand that diesel technology has advanced immeasurably over the last 20 years or so. Today's diesel engines are far more efficient and powerful and are being improved upon every day. If the government makes restrictions so tight that no one can possible meet them then the entire economy would collapse. As far as I know there is NO OTHER form of engine power available today that can be adapted to so many variable trucks and locomotives. Not electric, not gasoline, not propane/natural gas, not steam, etc. The trucking and railroad industries probably move 80% of this nations products. Shut that down and we'll be back in the stone age.

Our government........well, never mind. I better not get into that discussion.

[BB_TX]

It is political posturing. I worked in an industry associated with electric power plants. Each time they came out with new emmision requirements the power company execs would wail that they could never meet those requirements and would have to shut the plants down. But they almost always found a way to keep them running except for the oldest and most out of date.
Don't sell the Monte any time soon.

[WaltBennett]

Agree on the posturing. About those diesel-ELECTRIC locomotives though. The diesel engines don't directly drive the thing; they are kept running at the most efficient speed possible, generating electricity to drive the electric motor driven wheels. I wouldn't be surprised if the truck manufacturing industry didn't end up doing something similar.

[DQDick]

This is actually the deal breaker for us between getting a 5th wheel and a motor home. If tow vehicles change we can change also, if your motor home engine becomes obsolete?

[bncinwv]

Got me contemplating. 2007 pre-pollution garbage Classic Silverado. 52,000 miles currently. I am feeling a little like Alfred Neuman?? What, me worry? If they outlaw diesel, then I guess I will have to convert to used french fry oil, and when I am tooling down the highway, the Interstate exit McDonalds will see an unexplained increase in their business! Hee Hee!
Bingo

[DQDick]

They've already got it where the fryers old oil is drained and pumped to a holding vat outside to be picked up. Next the vat will process it and you can fill up while you are in the drive thru waiting to pay.

[Artemus Gordon]

Bingo has a point! I think diesel has more promise. My truck has none of the old problems. Does not smell, gets acceptable MPH. Further several recent studies have hinted at gas being the endangered fuel. I prefer to worry about other things, like the outlawing of In & Out Burgers....

[mlh]

Urban legend
Lynwood

[commish]

The future is not important to us, we have our TV and hope it lasts for ever.

[WeBeFulltime]

If I quit RVing tomorrow I'd still keep my diesel truck.

[Tom S.]

W/O getting into the political side of the discussion, the government just bailed out the auto industry a few years back. They aren't about allow it to go back, which curbing new truck sales would do. Manufacturers make their bread and butter from trucks, which have a much larger profit margin than cars, especially the smaller autos.

As for locomotives, manufacturers are saying they are already there, and similar reasoning to that above applies to semi trucks, only in their case, the government won't stand by and watch American commerce go down the tubes.