PITTSBURGH — Wabtec Corp. and CSX have announced a deal to modernize more than 200 locomotives, providing hardware and software upgrades to the railroad’s remaining AC4400 units.
The locomotives will receive upgrades including the FDL Advantage engine and digital improvements such as Locotrol Expanded Architecture, which the companies say will provide fuel savings and carbon reduction of up to 8%, with a goal of up to 170 tons of carbon reduction per locomotive per year. Wabtec’s goal is for the total order to provide approximately 35,000 tons in annual carbon reductions. The project will also extend the lives of the locomotives by several years, increase reliability by up to 35% and tractive effort by up to 14%, Wabtec says.
“This modernization order is part of our commitment to deliver excellence for our customers, shareholders, employees, and communities,” Mike Cory, CSX executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a press release. “Wabtec’s modernization program enables us to maximize the capabilities of our existing fleet. The upgrades will improve asset reliability, allowing us to move more freight with fewer locomotives, which also will help reduce our carbon emissions footprint.”
The latest order follows 260 modernizations previously ordered by CSX, the majority of which have already been delivered [see “First of the new CSX rebuilds …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 24, 2019]. Wabtec will do the work on the new order at its U.S. plants beginning this year and continuing through 2028.
“By installing state-of-the-art technology on these locomotives,” said Gina Trombley, Wabtec executive vice president of sales and marketing and chief commercial officer-Americas, “we are helping to improve locomotive performance, fuel efficiency, and reliability, while also reducing ongoing maintenance costs.”
