Wabtec celebrated on August 6th  its 1,000th locomotive modernization in North and South America. The milestone delivery to Norfolk Southern highlights the commercial and environmental success of Wabtec’s modernization program.

The modernization program is a key component of Wabtec’s sustainability efforts. Modernizations revitalize older locomotives resulting in up to a 25-percent improvement in fuel efficiency; more than a 40-percent increase in reliability; up to a 55-percent increase in haulage ability; and up to a 20-percent reduction in maintenance, repair, and overhaul expenses. The fuel efficiency benefits of these 1,000 locomotives have reduced carbon emissions by more than 1.4 million tons since 2015. That reduction is the equivalent of removing the emissions from 340,000 cars.

Norfolk Southern accounts for 500 of the 1,000 locomotives Wabtec has modernized. Each modernized locomotive in Norfolk Southern’s fleet reduces more than 500 tons of carbon emissions per year. With rail already four times more fuel efficient at moving freight than trucking, the increased emission savings from locomotive modernizations further helps Norfolk Southern and its customers meet their sustainability targets.

Wabtec’s modernization program also reduces emissions by reusing the existing steel on the locomotive through a robust requalification and remanufacturing process. More than half of a locomotive’s critical components are reused, rebuilt, or remanufactured at least three times over their useful life. Wabtec’s locomotive plants in Erie, PA; Fort Worth; and Contagem, Brazil have reused more than 100,000 tons of steel in modernizing the 1,000 locomotives.

Wabtec’s modernization program updates aging locomotives with customized solutions that range from simple changes like control system upgrades to complex restorations, such as the comprehensive transformation of an aged DC locomotive into an AC locomotive outfitted with state-of-the-art digital technology.

-via Press Release