Norfolk Southern Rolls Out Low-Emission Yard Locomotives
The railroad’s announcement followed ceremonies to dedicate the five units at the company’s Inman Yard. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal joined NS Chief Operating Officer Mark Manion to showcase the units that meet Tier 3 emission standards. Ten units eventually will be used at the terminal, a railroad statement said.
“In addition to lower emissions and fuel savings, benefits include operating efficiencies, as each Eco unit can replace two older, less-efficient locomotives,” Manion said. “Over the last five years, we have significantly lowered greenhouse-gas emissions of our locomotive fleet, achieving an 8.5% reduction per revenue ton-mile. We consider it a corporate responsibility to mitigate the environmental impacts of our rail operations.”
The Norfolk, Virginia-based carrier estimated that the full complement of 10 locomotives will cut particulate matter emissions by 6.6 tons annually.
“I applaud the company’s environmental consciousness and its work to achieve public benefits through cooperative efforts with municipalities and government agencies like the one we celebrate,” Deal said in a statement.
NS plans to use the new models, also using federal funding, at yard facilities in Macon and Rome, Georgia; and Chicago.
