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HOTSTART manufactures a line of electric and diesel powered engine heating systems designed to allow idling locomotives to be shut down and easily restarted, even after days sitting in freezing weather. Equipping a locomotive with a HOTSTART block heater eliminates the problems with idling including wasted fuel and oil, wet-stacking, emissions, noise and engine wear.
In 1942, HOTSTART began developing and manufacturing diesel engine block heaters for trucks and buses. In 1965, HOTSTART applied its engine heating experience to the railroad industry and developed layover heaters to eliminate costly locomotive idling. The company also offers oil heating and battery charging.
Now, over 4,000 HOTSTART locomotive systems are in use today with customers such as BNSF, MRL, Genesee & Wyoming and Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway.