Digest: Aberdeen Carolina & Western, Savage combine on locomotive rebuilds

Aberdeen Carolina & Western rebuilds six locomotives for Savage

North Carolina’s Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway and rail operations and logistics company Savage Services have combined to rebuild six locomotives for a Houston industrial facility. The four SD40-2 and two MP15 were rebuilt at the AC&W’s shops under the direction of Steven Weathers, the railroad’s assistant chief mechanical officer. “”It was a great honor to be involved with this project,” Dale Parks, AC&W vice president of mechanical, said in a press release. “The added bonus was the ‘Tribute to the Veterans’ locomotive paint scheme. It’s nice to see new life given to some of the greatest work horses on the rails.” Gerry Farrell, vice president of motive power for Savage, said the company has teamed with the AC&W on several project, and that he can “rely upon ACWR to be timely, responsive, available and produce a quality product every time. We are proud of our partnership with ACWR and look forward to working together on additional projects in the future.”

Capitol Corridor adds two Charger locomotives, expanding fleet to 10

California’s Capitol Corridor Amtrak service has added two Siemens Charger locomotives to its fleet to replace a pair of older EMD F59 diesels. In a press release, the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority says the new locomotives could be operating as soon as the end of this month and no later than June 1, when the older Tier 2 locomotives must stop operating. The Charger locomotives meet EPA Tier 4 standards, which the authority notes means a 90% reduction in particulate emissions and an 80% reduction in Nitrogen Oxides. With the two new locomotives, the Capital Corridor will be operating 10 Tier 4 locomotives. “By putting more locomotives into service that emit fewer harmful air pollutants, we are better equipped to minimize our environmental footprint and help meet state and federal air quality standards,” authority board chair Don Saylor said in a press release. The ongoing effort to replace the agency’s F59s is in keeping with a state mandate requiring 100% of off-road and equipment operations to be zero emission by 2035, and bans passenger locomotives more than 23 years old from operating in California as of 2030.

Knorr to provide brakes for new MARTA railcars

Knorr-Bremse has won the contract to provide brakes for Stadler’s order for new railcars for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. The order will cover up to 254 cars, include a 100-car option. Most of the brake equipment will be produced at Knorr Brake Co. in Westminster, Md., for the cars to be assembled at Stadler’s plant in Salt Lake City. “This contract is Knorr Brake Company’s first-ever order for braking systems with MARTA, and we are very proud to be Stadler’s partner of choice to help replace Atlanta’s metro fleet,” Jason Connell, CEO of Knorr Brake Company, said in a press release. Stadler landed the $600 million contract for the MARTA equipment in 2019 [see “Stadler, MARTA sign $600 million deal for new trains,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 15, 2019].