(RailPower Technologies and BNSF issued the following news release on June 16.)
VANCOUVER — RailPower Technologies Corp. announced today that a five-year lease contract has been signed with BNSF Railway Company for five Green Goat® hybrid locomotives.
Emissions grants for the construction of the locomotives are to be paid to RailPower under the Heavy-Duty Engine Incentive Program, a San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) program that distributes Carl Moyer Program funds from the California Air Resources Board.
This order puts RailPower’s order book at 90. RailPower also confirmed that the Green Kid locomotive, which was being leased to agri-giant, Agrium, in Redwater, Alberta, has been sold to Agrium.
“These units will replace 1960s locomotive technology with current technology that provides both improved reliability and significantly lower exhaust emissions,” says Mark Stehly, BNSF’s assistant vice president, Environmental, Research and Development. “That’s good for the railroad, good for air quality and good for the communities we serve.”
RailPower President and CEO, Jim Maier, said, “We are delighted with this follow on order from BNSF who have now ordered a total of 10 locomotives from us. I would also like to express our gratitude to SJVAPCD and Carl Moyer, whose emissions programs have very much contributed to the early adoption of our technology by the major railroads.
“As our order book continues to grow, we remain heavily focused on delivering locomotives, during this our first major production year. We have made nine commercial deliveries from our three out-source assembly sites so far this year and currently there are another fifteen locomotives under construction,” concluded Maier
RailPower’s hybrid locomotives cut oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulates 80-90% and diesel fuel use and greenhouse gases 40-70% when compared to conventional yard locomotives in the 1,000 – 2,000 horsepower range.
A subsidiary of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation (NYSE: BNI – News), BNSF Railway operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America, with about 32,000 route miles in 28 states and two Canadian provinces.
The railway is among the world’s top transporters of intermodal traffic, moves more grain than any other American railroad, transports the components of many of the products we depend on daily, and hauls enough low-sulphur coal to generate about ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. BNSF Railway is an industry leader in Web-enabling a variety of customer transactions at www.bnsf.com.
The San Joaquin Valley, in Central California, has 3.2 million residents and three renowned nature areas. Its air quality does not currently meet health-based standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for ozone and particulate matter. The district’s (www.valleyair.org) mission is to improve the health and quality of life for all valley residents through cooperative and effective air quality programs.