Pacific Harbor Line to purchase five zero emission locomotives

Anacostia Rail Holdings' Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) yesterday announced it has received partial funding from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to purchase five zero-emission (ZE) locomotives at a cost of $34.2 million. 

CARB received a federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program grant of up to $36.5 million to replace 10 diesel locomotives with nine ZE battery-electric locomotives, one hydrogen fuel cell locomotive and four charging stations. PHL will receive five battery-electric locomotives and two battery chargers; Watco will acquire four battery-electric locomotives and two battery chargers, and Sacramento Valley Railroad will acquire the hydrogen fuel cell locomotive, according to the Federal Railroad Administration's CRISI grant award information.

PHL is contributing $6.37 million toward the cost to acquire the five ZE locomotives and two charging stations, Anacostia officials said in a press release.

The CRISI grant award follows PHL’s successful first year operations with its zero-exhaust emission EMD® Joule battery-electric locomotive from Progress Rail, which will also be manufacturing the new zero-emissions locomotives, Anacostia officials said.

PHL, which serves the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, was the first railroad to upgrade its entire fleet to Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3-plus locomotives, and it also operates a Tier 4 locomotive in addition to the Joule ZE unit now in service, according to Anacostia.