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11/13/2024
Norfolk Southern Railway will work with Alstom to convert two diesel engines to hybrid battery diesel technology.
The finished battery diesel hybrid locomotives will deliver about 90% fewer emissions and 30% better pulling capacity than traditional diesel models, NS officials said in a press release. NS is the first North American railroad to apply Alstom’s hybrid technology, which is used extensively in European rail, they said.
The project will be funded primarily with a $16 million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant, with NS providing a 25% match. The Steuben County Industrial Development Agency and Binghamton University’s New Energy New York consortium are also supporting the project.
“Rail is already the most sustainable mode of transportation, and these hybrid conversions will delivery quieter, cleaner rail options,” said NS Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin.
NS will use the frames of two 50-year-old locomotives. Batteries will provide primary propulsion, while a smaller Tier 4 diesel engine will run only when needed to charge batteries. The modular design will enable the propulsion systems to be upgraded or replaced as battery and engine technology advances.
The new hybrid locomotives will help NS meet its long-term sustainability goals and build on previous NS achievements in converting locomotives to eco-friendly models.
Alstom will lead the design and assembly of the hybrid locomotives at its plant in Kanona, New York.