(The Associated Press circulated the following on October 11.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific is planning to test low-emission diesel locomotives on intermediate-length routes.
UP’s Bob Grimalia says this test will help the railroad determine what kind of load these locomotives can handle. Union Pacific will also be developing a maintenance schedule for them.
The five low-emission locomotives involved in the yearlong test were originally built in the 1970s, but they have been remanufactured with 3,500-horsepower engines.
The locomotives have less power than a typical transcontinental locomotive, which uses 4,400-horsepower engines. But they’re more powerful than the 2,000-horsepower switch locomotives Union Pacific uses around railyards.
The low-emission locomotives were built by a division of Caterpillar, which makes construction and mining equipment.