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During the next 18 months, Union Pacific Railroad plans to test five Evolution Series diesel-electric locomotives produced by GE Transportation Systems (GETS) in mountainous areas between Portland, Ore., and Pocatello, Idaho.


Introduced in December, the 4,400-horsepower locomotives feature 12-cylinder GEVO diesel engines designed to reduce emissions 40 percent compared with 16-cylinder-engine models. GETS expects Evolution Series locomotives to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 2 emission regulations that take effect Jan. 1, 2005.


"We're hopeful that these GE locomotives will be successful in reducing emissions, while providing the performance we need to operate our trains
efficiently," said Mike Iden, UP general director, car and locomotive
engineering, in a prepared statement.


UP operates more than 7,000 locomotives in 23 states. Under a power replacement program, the Class I added 1,400 new, energy-efficient locomotives and retired 1,100 older units the past two years.