WCR 133 Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 Metra plans to issue an RFP for seven new switch units; six lower-emissions Tier 4 compliant diesels and one battery-electric unit. These will replace older EMD SW series locomotives. https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/press-release/21210751/metra-metras-board-approves-plan-paving-way-for-greener-locomotive-fleet Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewFlyerMCI 254 Posted February 19 Report Share Posted February 19 10 hours ago, WCR said: Metra plans to issue an RFP for seven new switch units; six lower-emissions Tier 4 compliant diesels and one battery-electric unit. These will replace older EMD SW series locomotives. https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/press-release/21210751/metra-metras-board-approves-plan-paving-way-for-greener-locomotive-fleet Who manufactures non-passenger locomotives in the US still? Is still GE? I know Siemens and EMD focus on passenger locomotives, and probably unlikely to bid for this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WCR 133 Posted February 20 Author Report Share Posted February 20 4 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said: Who manufactures non-passenger locomotives in the US still? Is still GE? I know Siemens and EMD focus on passenger locomotives, and probably unlikely to bid for this GE and EMD are the two main players for new and repowered freight locomotives, Knoxville is another smaller contender. However, none of them yet offer full battery-electric switchers that can be operated solo, so this one's still way up in the air. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John7 41 Posted February 21 Report Share Posted February 21 On 2/19/2021 at 6:41 PM, WCR said: GE and EMD are the two main players for new and repowered freight locomotives, Knoxville is another smaller contender. However, none of them yet offer full battery-electric switchers that can be operated solo, so this one's still way up in the air. So it looks like metra may be buying a WABTEC battery locomotive. As for the 6 diesels, it's all guess work. GE hasn't made switchers since the mid-late 1900's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewFlyerMCI 254 Posted February 22 Report Share Posted February 22 On 2/19/2021 at 7:41 PM, WCR said: GE and EMD are the two main players for new and repowered freight locomotives, Knoxville is another smaller contender. However, none of them yet offer full battery-electric switchers that can be operated solo, so this one's still way up in the air. I wonder if Siemens or Bombardier might throw their hat into the ring EDIT: Went to Bom's website only to no longer find the rail page, google'd it, and apparently Alstom now owns Bombardier as of 1/29/21. No clue whether the Bombardier name will be retained Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrethebusman 646 Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 Most likely Knoxville, as they have been (re)building all sorts of oddballs. Wabtec and Progress basically only doing road freighters, again mostly converting old ones DC to AC, very few new. Siemens only doing Chargers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrethebusman 646 Posted February 27 Report Share Posted February 27 The last effort at a pure battery switcher was Railpower's Green Goat, pretty much a dismal failure. Not sure if any even exist any more. RJ Corman bought out Railpower, didn't get too far either. NS tried to build something too, same result. Now GE has a prototype electric ET44 in.CA, it has to stay with two real ET44s as it is basically just used to make up and break train in yards and just along for the ride en route, so yard emissions can be reduced. CA clean air mandate, not practical use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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