MONTREAL — Canadian National Railway Co. said on Tuesday it had signed a deal with the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors to remanufacture the diesel engines of 300 mainline locomotives, or almost 30 percent of its fleet, according to a wire service report.
CN, Canada’s largest railway and North America’s no. 5, did not disclose the value of the six-year deal on its fleet of GM-built SD60, SD70 and SD75 locomotives.
The EMD 710 diesel engines to be remanufactured were built between 1989 and 1999 and produce 3,800 to 4,300 horsepower each. GM will provide all materials, technical oversight, specifications, certification and a full warranty, CN said.
CN said last month it would buy 60 new Dash 9 — 44CW locomotives from General Electric Transportation Systems, to be delivered by the end of 2004. The new 4,400 horsepower locomotives will replace older and less efficient units, allowing better asset utilization and providing lower fuel consumption and pollution, the company said.
The railway has acquired 384 new locomotives since it started to upgrade its mainline fleet in 1995. The average age of the fleet has since fallen to 13 years from 18 years, the company said.
CN’s stock was down 33 Canadian cents at C$76.42 on the Toronto Stock Exchange early Tuesday afternoon.