Norfolk Southern Corp. is pioneering sustainable locomotive propulsion by converting two engines to hybrid technology in partnership with Alstom, a global rail transportation manufacturer and leader in low-carbon and sustainable transportation.
Officials said the finished locomotives will deliver quieter, lower-emission operations with an estimated 90% fewer emissions and 30% better pulling capacity than traditional diesel models.
The first-of-its-kind battery diesel hybrid locomotive prototype is being made possible by a significant Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant from the Federal Railroad Administration, as well as support from the Steuben County (NY) Industrial Development Agency and Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) consortium.
Norfolk Southern is the first to apply Alstom’s hybrid technology, which is used extensively in European rail, to freight locomotives in North America. The initiative will use frames from two 50-year-old locomotives.
Batteries will provide primary propulsion, while a smaller Tier 4 diesel engine will run only when batteries need to be charged. The modular design will allow the propulsion systems to be upgraded or replaced as battery and engine technology advances.
In addition to lowering emissions and noise pollution, the new hybrid locomotives will help Norfolk Southern meet or exceed its long-term sustainability targets. This project builds on previous achievements, including Norfolk Southern’s conversion of older switcher locomotives to eco-friendly models and initiatives to modernize the company’s fleet with AC traction technology, improving fuel efficiency by up to 25% and reducing maintenance by 20% in the past decade.
Alstom will lead the design and assembly of the hybrid locomotives at its Kanona, N.Y. facility.
