UNITED STATES Class 1 freight railway CSX has signed a $US 670m agreement with Wabtec to purchase 100 new Evolution Series locomotives, upgrade 50 existing units, and deploy digital operating technologies across the fleet.
CSX says the new Evolution Series locomotives will improve fuel efficiency, tractive effort and overall reliability for heavy-haul and long-distance services, while reducing fuel consumption. Wabtec will also lead a project to convert traction motors in ageing D9 locomotives from dc to ac. The upgrades are expected to extend service life, improve fleet standardisation and enable the use of advanced control and diagnostic systems.
Both the new and rebuilt locomotives will be equipped with Wabtec’s Trip Optimiser solution with and Smart Horsepower per Ton, a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified system designed to enhance fuel efficiency.
Deliveries of the new locomotives are scheduled to begin this year, with upgraded units to follow from 2027.
“Modernising these critical assets strengthens network performance and supports the level of service our customers depend on,” says Mike Cory, executive vice-president and COO at CSX.
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