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Pacific Harbor Line Inc. (PHL) recently contracted Progress Rail Services Corp. to repower 16 Tier 2-compliant locomotives with lower-emission Tier 3-complaint Caterpillar engines. The locomotives will be operated at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif.
 
The Cat 3512C HD engines will be equipped with diesel particulate filters, which are designed to reduce particulate matter emissions more than 90 percent compared with PHL’s current engines, according to a prepared statement. After the repowers are completed, the short line’s entire fleet of 22 locomotives will meet or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 standard, PHL officials said in a prepared statement. The Tier 3 standard tightens allowable nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon dioxide and other emissions from locomotive and marine engines by 2012 (a Tier 4 standard will further restrict emissions in 2015).

Progress Rail plans to repower the locomotives at its Tacoma, Wash., facility during 2011. The units will enter service after they’re certified by the EPA.

The $12 million project primarily will be funded by a grant from the Carl Moyer Program administered by the South Coast Air Quality Management District and California Air Resources Board, as well as PHL funds.