Progress Rail Completes Emissions Testing

February 22, 2017

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. – Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, today announced it has successfully completed initial emissions testing of its new, repower locomotive – the EMD24B – and has begun the process of certifying the locomotive per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent Tier 4 emissions standards. The EMD24B locomotive will now start the California Air Resources Board’s 3,000-hour in-service verification testing, first with Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. (PHL).

Rated at 2,000 horsepower, the EMD24B comes equipped with a Cat® 3512C HD engine and aftertreatment technologies proven to lower emissions. The EMD24B utilizes rebuilt EMD-style locomotive components, and has been constructed with a remanufactured underframe and cab from an existing EMD GP-40 locomotive. This pre-1973 locomotive core, which was originally developed based on "unregulated" emissions standards, has been remanufactured to meet the latest emissions standards, aligning with Caterpillar and Progress Rail’s sustainability values. 

“In 2010, PHL took part in one of our largest repower projects to date by modernizing an existing locomotive fleet with cleaner burning engines. Today, we’re pleased to continue that legacy of collaborating for cleaner air, through our latest testing efforts for our Tier 4 ready switcher locomotive,” said Progress Rail’s Chief Executive Officer and Caterpillar Senior Vice President, Billy Ainsworth. “The EMD24B demonstrates our commitment to customers through its reliability and sustainability, while emphasizing Caterpillar’s broad engine expertise, with a strong focus on lowering emissions, maintaining fuel efficiency and safety.” 

The design and manufacture of the EMD24B involved various teams within the company; including Progress Rail’s repower engineering team, employees from the company’s Patterson, Georgia facility, and its Brazilian subsidiary, Zeit, which provided the locomotive’s control system. 

Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. President Otis Cliatt II said, “PHL is pleased to once again partner with Progress Rail in our ongoing effort to achieve the lowest possible emissions within the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. We are eager to test the EMD24B locomotive, which employs the latest technology and represents a very important step toward meeting the stringent clean-air standards of the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. EPA. The EMD24B’s operation on PHL will offer a challenging range of speed, direction and tonnage associated with a busy terminal.” 

About Progress Rail:

Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest diversified providers of rolling stock and infrastructure solutions and technologies for global rail customers. Progress Rail delivers advanced locomotives, railcars, trackwork, fasteners, signaling, rail welding and Kershaw Maintenance-of-Way equipment, along with dedicated freight car repair, locomotive component and recycling operations. Through its acquisition of Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), Progress Rail has become the premier manufacturer of EMD locomotives, engines and genuine aftermarket parts. For more information, visit progressrail.com and follow @Progress_Rail on Twitter and YouTube.

About Pacific Harbor Line, Inc.:

Pacific Harbor Line is based in Wilmington, California and is one of six railroads in seven states operated by Anacostia Rail Holdings (www.anacostia.com.). PHL provides rail transportation, maintenance and dispatching services to the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which together form the largest container port in the United States. In addition to switching more than 40,000 units of carload freight annually, PHL provides rail switching services for nine on-dock intermodal terminals and provides dispatching services for about 140 intermodal or unit trains per day.  PHL connects with BNSF and Union Pacific railroads.

Progress Rail Media Contact:

Barbara Jansen
Office: 256.505.5054
bjansen@progressrail.com