Canadian National to acquire 161 locomotives to meet traffic growth

2012 03 28


THE Canadian National Railway has announced plans to acquire 65 new locomotives as well as 96 second-hand train engines that will be upgraded.

This major locomotive acquisition programme is intended to accommodate anticipated traffic growth and to improve operational efficiency, a company statement said.

A number of the new engines will have high adhesion - train-pulling ability - at low speeds for heavy-haul coal service in north western Canada, where steep grades and sharp rail curves make heavy demands on locomotives.

"CN's locomotive acquisition programme represents a balanced, capital-effective approach to handle expected volume growth over the next two to five years and to meet the locomotive requirements resulting from customer focused service plans," said CN vice president and COO Keith Creel.

"The new and used motive power will enhance operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption by permitting the retirement of older, high-maintenance locomotives and the cascading of less fuel-efficient main-line units into less-demanding yard and local switching operations, while providing additional locomotives to accommodate increased traffic."

The railway operator said it will purchase this year 42 second-hand GE Transportation (GE) Dash 8-40C locomotives, 11 leased GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, and 43 second-hand Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) SD60 locomotives. The Dash 8 units have 4,000 and the SD60s 3,800 horsepower.

It expects to take delivery between 2013 and 2014 of 35 new ES44AC locomotives from GE, and 30 new SD70ACe locomotives from EMD. The GE units have 4,400 and the SD70ACe units 4,300 horsepower.

The new locomotives on order are equipped with distributed power technology (DP), a GE product, which is designed to improve train handling and fuel efficiency. The company expects that 50 per cent of its high-horsepower locomotive fleet will have DP by the end of 2013.

DP technology permits remote control of a locomotive throughout a train from the lead control unit. The advantages of such technology are faster, smoother train starts, improved braking and lower pulling forces at the head-end and within a train for improved safety, as well as lower fuel consumption and lower emissions.

Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
 

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