SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Siemens celebrated a production milestone in Sacramento rail manufacturing plant recently by installing the first Cummins QSK95 engine with alternator that will power the new diesel-electric Charger locomotives. The 42,000-pound power unit, the first engine to be installed at Siemens Sacramento manufacturing plant, was successfully lowered into the locomotive by overhead crane.
Siemens is manufacturing a total of 69 diesel-electric locomotives for the Departments of Transportation in Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri, Washington and Maryland. The diesel-electric locomotives are also being manufacturing for Brightline, the express passenger rail service that will connect the major cities of Miami and Orlando. The diesel locomotives will be powered by the 16-cylinder, 95-liter displacement, and 4,400 horsepower rated diesel engines built by Cummins. The new state-of-the-art locomotives are designed to operate at speeds up to 125 miles per hour and, with the Cummins engine, will comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s stipulated Tier IV emission standards.
The Cummins QSK95 engine, manufactured in the U.S. at its Seymour, Ind., plant, is engineered with modern technologies and design features that ensure the high performance, low fuel consumption, clean emissions, and low total cost of ownership.
The diesel-electric locomotives are currently being built at Siemens rail manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif. The plant employs more than 800 people, has been in operation for over 30 years and sources up to 80 percent of its energy from two megawatts of solar energy. The plant recently completed a 125,000 square-foot expansion to help accommodate its growing production needs.
— From a Siemens news release. Feb. 18, 2016.
The Cummins engine does use after treatment for the exhaust to make the Tier IV requirements. As Mr. Streeter noted, the regional commuter railroad's equipment doesn't travel far from their servicing centers and it's easy to top the urea tanks up with the diesel at the end of the day. Losing some diesel capacity isn't a major constraint compared to the Class Is.
FRA does not formulate emissions standards-EPA does.
Great News!
Do these new locos use DEF aftertreatment to meet emissions? It might made sense with relatively captive service routes. Mainly curious.
Not sure, but I think they'll use a consumable (urea?) for exhaust treatment. Not a major problem in terms of infrastructure, since each fleet will be confined to a small geographic area. Freight railroads don't like the idea because they'd have to install infrastructure at all their maintenance facilities.
Cool looking Locomotive…Love the name too.
Cool video!