BP Starts Full Commercial Operation at Texas Wind Farm

T. Boone Pickens proposed setting up a network on the east side of the Rockies. This network could be large enough to reduce our dependence on coal from the Powder River Basin.
The largest single opponents of alternative fuels are the railroads,and it surprises me they have not seen the sudden windfall if they electrify their systems using the wind power suggested by Pickens.I'm afraid the enormous capital expenditures made by railroads and pipelines from Canada will push these industries to oppose any wind or solar development.
On the other hand, the effective transition can be made by railroads and the Canadian tar oil sands if they are willing to invest or absorb the costs of the new infrastructure.

Railroad opposition to expanded windfarm development and interconnection to regional grids can surely be expected if they see potential for a dramatic decline in revenue from a reduced number of coal 'unit trains' needed to haul coal to 4-Corners type central generating stations all over the country. Converting standard diesel-burning trains to use of electricity would require adding a 'third rail' or overhead pantograph wire system to enable all-electric locomotives to be used. This infrastructure cost would be enormous for the long-distance routings through open country required. It also would be a security risk from potential terrorist action.

The shift from centralized power production to distributed energy generation and interconnection via regional and local grids WILL come, because the total cost is cheaper and public utilities now are seeing the economies of scale. For railroads to fight this is like 'featherbedding' the status quo. It won't work forever... They would be far better disposed to see how they can cash in and take advantage of distributed power production and the national shift toward greater reliance on electricity, perhaps by re-instituting the concept of local and regional electrically-powered PASSENGER trains that can provide a good, cost-effective transportation alternative to the airlines and the personal (and now expensive) motorcar for travelers.

Railroads will place wind turbines along side of their tracks as the ROI dictates.