October 1, 2013--LAGRANGE, Ill. – Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD) is partnering with the Indian Railways to design and manufacture the WDG5 locomotive, which provides the highest horsepower on existing rail tracks and will lead to enhanced revenues. Complimenting the Indian Railways on its decision to design and manufacture the WDG5 locomotive, Billy Ainsworth, EMD president and chief executive officer and IREE 2013 keynote speaker, said, “This technological development by the RDSO and DLW, to which EMD provided design support, is a milestone achievement. EMD is proud of our 54-year association with the Indian Railways and the emerging technologies our company brings to meet global standards.”
The WDG5 locomotive has the capability to integrate EMD’s Intellitrain™ remote diagnostic and monitoring systems to reduce maintenance costs, enhance safety, and increase asset utilization, reliability and availability. It also has the scope to develop dual cab locomotives on an economical length frame.
EMD supports the Indian Railways goal to meet emission norms as they are introduced—the WDG5 locomotive presents electronic fuel Injection technology, split cooling and suitably sized radiators, and EMD is working to introduce radial bogies, which reduce wear and tear on wheels and rails.
New technological developments in safety are crucial for railroads across the world, and EMD meets these challenges by designing crashworthy cabs and structures and cab insulation techniques. Enhancing safety, salient features of the WDG5 locomotive include crashworthiness and driver comfort through the AC cab and toilet. “Other developments such as Hot Wheel and Hot Box detection systems, new signaling systems and the increased use of Rail Flash-Butt welding should be considered by the Indian Railways for enhancing safety on the tracks,” added Ainsworth.
Highlighting major developments in the area of green technologies, EMD will soon introduce liquefied natural gas (LNG) retrofit kits featuring its Dynamic Gas Blending (DGB) dual-fuel technology. These kits will allow EMD customers to utilize natural gas while maintaining leading performance and reliability. “We believe our dual-fuel technology will be very suitable for India since this enables engines to work on LNG or diesel fuel," stated Ainsworth. DGB demonstrator locomotives will begin operating in North America later in 2013.
EMD will explore introducing Cat® LNG engines on Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) for hub and spoke operations (200 kms. distance). This requires only one filling station per hub and avoids the requirement for large-scale filling station infrastructure across India. Repeated runs characteristic of a typical DMU operation can save significant fuel.
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About Progress Rail Services Corporation and Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.:
Progress Rail Services Corporation (Progress Rail), a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., is a leading supplier of remanufactured locomotive and railcar products and services to the railroad industry, operating one of the most extensive rail service and supply networks in North America. More than 8,000 employees serve customers in a network of more than 165 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom. Progress Rail is headquartered in Albertville, Ala.
Through the acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD), Progress Rail has expanded its network of global locations, furthering a commitment to providing industry-leading products and services. Founded in 1922, Electro-Motive Diesel is an original equipment manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives. Headquartered in LaGrange, Ill., EMD designs, manufactures and sells diesel-electric locomotives for all commercial railroad applications and is a global provider of diesel engines for marine propulsion, offshore and land-based oil well drilling rigs and stationary power generation. The company is the only diesel-electric locomotive manufacturer to have produced more than 72,500 engines and has the largest installed base in both North America and worldwide. EMD also has an extensive aftermarket business offering replacement parts, maintenance solutions and a range of value-added services.
For more information, visit www.progressrail.com.
About Caterpillar Inc.:
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. (Caterpillar) has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2012 sales and revenues of $65.875 billion, Caterpillar is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.caterpillar.com
Media Contact:
Barbara Jansen
Office: 256.505.5054
bjansen@progressrail.com
