Palmetto Railways, a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce), announced it is partnering with Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) to convert two of its diesel switcher locomotives to lithium-ion battery powered locomotives.

IRT, a rail solutions provider that offers proprietary propulsion technology, will retrofit the state-of-the-art locomotives which are less expensive to operate, deliver superior performance and significantly reduce carbon emissions.

For Palmetto Railways, the switch to battery-powered locomotives will reduce the amount of diesel fuel consumed at its facilities by an estimated 40,000 gallons annually per locomotive, while providing additional resiliency to the local grid infrastructure and to local rail supply chain partners and customers. The zero-emission locomotives will help maximize a cleaner and more energy efficient transfer and shipment of goods through Palmetto Railways’ existing North Charleston facilities and will support the Navy Base Intermodal Facility which is currently under-construction with South Carolina Ports Authority. The locomotives are expected to be delivered and begin service within two years.

Funding for this project was announced in September 2023 when Palmetto Railways was awarded a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program grant of up to $4,170,000 from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). Palmetto Railways will provide a 35% non-federal match.

-via Press Release