Canadian National Railway (CN), a leading North American rail operator, has announced an order to modernise 60 additional locomotives with Wabtec. The modernizations will help to improve locomotive fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and increase reliability.
The locomotives to be modernised are all certified pre-owned Dash-9 locomotives. Wabtec will transform the locomotives from DC to AC powered traction and will feature enhancements such as the FDL Advantage engine upgrade and a suite of digital solutions, including Trip Optimizer and LOCOTROL Distributed Power.
The FDL Advantage engine upgrade is a major improvement over the original Dash-9 engine. It will feature a new combustion system, upgraded turbocharger, and improved aftertreatment system. The result is a 15% increase in fuel efficiency and a 10% reduction in emissions.
“Modernising these locomotives cost-effectively improves the reliability of our existing fleet and contributes to reducing our rail carbon footprint,” said Mark Grubbs, Vice-President Mechanical at CN. “In addition to reducing the environmental impact of our own operations, it helps us to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our customers.”
Trip Optimizer is a digital solution that helps to optimize locomotive performance. It uses real-time data to adjust the locomotive's settings for the most efficient operation whilst the LOCOTROL Distributed Power is another digital solution that allows multiple locomotives to work together as a single unit.
The modernisation of these 60 locomotives will help improve CN’s sustainability. The company has set a goal of reducing its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 43% per gross ton mile by 2030. The modernisations are also expected to improve the reliability of CN's fleet.
“Our modernisation solutions allow CN to enhance its existing fleet by upgrading to Wabtec’s state-of-the-art technology to enhance the locomotives’ performance to current standards,” said Alicia Hammersmith, President of Wabtec Freight Services.
“Our modernisation program supports the circular economy and is a key component of Wabtec’s sustainability approach through processes that reduce waste, extend life, and improve fuel efficiency, thereby driving emissions reductions and helping customers save money.”
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