Photo By Spc. Bowden Drake-Deese | A Rail Operations engineer; Command Sgt. Maj. John P. McDwyer, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood command sergeant major; Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general, and Santa Claus arrive aboard the Fort Hood Electric Locomotive Switcher Dec. 15 during the ceremony commissioning the Army’s first electric locomotive at the Fort Hood railhead. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Bowden Drake-Deese, III Armored Corps Public Affairs) see less
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Fort Hood commissions Army’s first completely electric locomotive
FORT HOOD, Texas — Fort Hood leadership and representatives from Dominion Energy unveiled, and celebrated the first 100% battery-powered locomotive in the Army during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 15 at the Fort Hood Rail Operations Center.
“We mark a truly historic moment here today, the commissioning of U.S. Army’s first all-electric locomotive right here at The Great Place,” said Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood commanding general. “This achievement represents a major step forward in Army modernization, resilience and sustainability.”
The locomotive will substantially enhance energy resilience, providing cost savings in maintenance and fuel costs and a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
It is also part of an energy-resiliency project in collaboration with Dominion Energy, Fort Hood’s utility privatization partner for electric and natural gas systems.
The project highlights a collaborative effort and was made possible through a Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant requested by the city of Harker Heights to the State of Texas Military Preparedness Council.
“Through the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant, we have the pathway to strengthen our local workforce, enhance the value of our surrounding communities and, the most important part, build resiliency and lethality for our warfighters,” said Kevin Mann, director, Federal Energy Solutions, Dominion Energy. “This locomotive represents a bold step forward.”
Funded by the state of Texas and Dominion Energy, the project involved converting an Army-owned diesel locomotive into an ATLAS electric locomotive that uses lithium-ion battery technology. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott prioritized the venture for approval in January 2024.
Because of the support provided through partnerships with local, state and federal entities, the project was fully funded.
“The State of Texas and Dominion Energy funded the conversion of this Army-owned locomotive into a fully modernized battery electric locomotive that you see here today, the Fort Hood Electric Locomotive Switcher, is not just a new capability,” Admiral said. “It is a transformational leap in how we power military rail operations.”
Mann said the electric locomotive is “a true all-of-the-above approach to energy” because of its adaptability.
“This locomotive enables our warfighters and increases lethality,” he said. “They can operate using power from the ERCOT grid, natural gas, solar, wind and even nuclear energy.”
The battery-powered locomotive will be integrated into daily operations to move railcars around the installation and for heavy-load handling at Fort Hood, a boost to Soldier readiness at the Army’s busiest railhead.
“This system allows for the locomotive to move components around the railyard,” Mann explained, noting the railyard is one piece of the power projection platform at Fort Hood. “So, it allows us to do that with resiliency.”
The battery that powers the engine can operate continuously for 12 hours and reaches a full charge in two-and-a-half hours. It also has regenerative braking that allows the system to recharge as the locomotive brakes, Mann noted.
The electric locomotive’s sustainable power is a boost for operations at the railyard.
“The introduction of this electric locomotive directly enhances the installation’s ability to support III Armored Corps and global deployment timelines,” Admiral said, “while also forming the backbone of a resilient infrastructure for a future micro grid that will further improve resilience across one of the nation’s most important power projection platforms, supporting my number one priority here in the III Armored Corps, which is warfighting.”
In fiscal year 2025, Fort Hood moved 157 trains with 8,585 railcars, shipping 6,162 pieces of equipment weighing over 243,000 short tons, the equivalent of 486,000 lbs.
With its conversion from diesel to electric power, the locomotive is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 308 metric tons annually, the equivalent of removing 54 city buses from the roads, and is projected to save over $50,000 each year in fuel costs.
“These are real, measurable gains that strengthen readiness while conserving our finite resources,” Admiral said.
In a significant boost for energy sustainability, the locomotive can serve as back-up power to the rail operations station and surrounding facilities for 48 hours in an emergency.
“It’s a mobile energy platform … in times of grid stress or emergencies the system can keep the Rail Operations Center in the fight,” Mann said.
The locomotive is much more than a way to move railcars or provide backup power.
“It is a symbol of progress, partnership,” Admiral highlighted, “and the Army’s commitment to a sustainable, resilient and technologically advanced future.”
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