(Source: Wabtec press release, June 24, 2021)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Corporation and Wabtec are partnering to accelerate sustainable rail by modernizing locomotives across CSX’s fleet and implementing advanced digital technologies to deliver significant fuel efficiency and emissions reductions for CSX’s rail operations. The partnership will help CSX in their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 37 percent by 2030.
“We are excited to partner with Wabtec on advanced solutions that will transform our fleet while improving our carbon footprint,” said Jamie Boychuk, CSX executive vice-president of operations. “By modernizing our fleet and implementing the new Trip Optimizer Zero-to-Zero, Wabtec’s sustainable technologies will help CSX achieve our climate goals.”
An early adopter of digital rail technologies, CSX will be the first railroad to put into demonstration Wabtec’s Trip Optimizer Zero-to-Zero system, an advanced technology that will allow CSX to start a train from zero mph and stop the train automatically using various controls. This technology builds on Trip Optimizer’s proven performance, which has saved railroads more than 400 million gallons of fuel since its inception and reduces CO2 emissions by over 500,000 tons per year.
CSX will also revitalize its yard fleet with the first order for Wabtec’s Tier 4 switcher modernization program, which provides an additional 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and 90 percent reduction in emissions. This new program upgrades 40-50 year old locomotives and Tier 0 non-emission switcher locomotives to the latest Wabtec Tier 4 platform. This technology is the only Tier 4 solution on the market today that does not require a urea after-treatment system, and each repowered locomotive will eliminate up to 90 tons of CO2 and 7 tons of NOx reduction per year.
Finally, the railroad will modernize locomotives across their fleet with Wabtec’s new FDL Advantage engine upgrade, which provides up to an additional five percent reduction in fuel consumption through a high-pressure common rail fuel system offering improved injection control. These modernizations are reducing the carbon footprint by as much as 250 tons of CO2 per locomotive per year.
“These solutions will enable CSX to maximize the full potential of its fleet both from an environmental and financial perspective,” said Gina Trombley, Wabtec’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re helping CSX build upon these benefits by improving customer service and asset utilization with new, enhanced features to our modernization programs and Trip Optimizer Zero-to-Zero.”