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7/27/2023
CN and Wabtec Corp. have announced a plan to modernize 60 CN locomotives to improve their fuel efficiency.
The modernization program supports CN’s target to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 43% per gross ton mile by 2030 from a 2019 base year – as well as the company’s net-zero 2050 carbon emission target aligned to a 1.5-degree scenario, CN officials said in a news release.
"Modernizing these locomotives cost-effectively improves the reliability of our existing fleet and contributes to reducing our rail carbon footprint," said Mark Grubbs, CN’s vice president of mechanical. "In addition to reducing the environmental impact of our own operations, it helps us to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of our customers."
Wabtec will modernize 60 certified pre-owned Dash-9 locomotives to bring the total modernized CN fleet to 110 locomotives. The program will change the locomotives from DC to AC-powered traction and will include FDL Advantage engine upgrade and digital solutions including Trip Optimizer and LOCOTROL Distributed Power.
The upgrades are expected to extend the life of the locomotives and provide benefits, including targeted fuel efficiency improvements of up to 18% through a combination of engine and digital technology enhancements, a more than 40% increase in reliability and up to a 55% increase in pulling power, the release said.
The modernization effort is also expected to enable CN to realize up to 50,000 metric tons in annual greenhouse gas emission reductions, the equivalent of removing nearly 10,700 non-electric passenger cars. Additionally, the modernization order will reuse or recycle about 11,000 metric tons of steel.