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Last week, General Motors Corp.'s Electro-Motive Division (EMD) announced Montana Rail Link (MRL) will take delivery of 16 SD70ACe locomotives next year to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) "Tier 2" emissions standards. Five of the units will replace eight older locomotives MRL uses to move coal and grain trains over the continental divide in western Montana.

During recent heavy-haul train tests, officials at the 900-mile regional found the locomotives reduced fuel usage more than 20 percent, according to a prepared statement. The officials expect the SD70ACe units to increase MRL's locomotive utilization and availability.

"Not only are the new units highly energy efficient, they are the newest in low emissions technology," said MRL President Tom Walsh.

The 4,300-horsepower SD70ACe features EMD's 710 diesel engine — which is designed to increase fuel efficiency and meet the EPA's emission
standards — and an Alternating Current (AC) traction system. The MRL units also will be equipped with EMD's IntelliTrain, a remote monitoring and diagnostics system designed to enable technicians to access locomotive health and operational data while the units are pulling trains.