New locomotives save fuel, lower emissions
Two fully built, AC diesel-electric model C30ACi locomotives from GE have arrived in South Africa on Monday 21 February 2011, the first part of the 100 units agreed to in the December 2009 contract between GE and the Transnet subsidiary, Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). The trackside ceremony, outside Pretoria, was attended by Lorenzo Simonelli, president and CEO of GE Transportation and Mafika Mkwanazi, chairman of Transnet.
According to the contract, ten of the locomotives will be manufactured in Erie and Grove City, US and 90 will be assembled locally at Transnet Rail Engineering's site in South Africa with kits provided by GE Transportation. These first locomotives are the first full units shipped from Erie and the remaining eight locomotives are scheduled to ship in within the next few months.
The first four of 90 locomotive kits from Erie and engines from Grove City for assembly in country were also shipped along with the first two locomotives. The first locomotives to be assembled locally are scheduled to enter revenue service in the third quarter of 2011. The remaining assembly kits for local production will ship in batches between now and 2012. All 100 locomotives are planned to be in revenue service by the first quarter of 2013.
Environmental benefits
Three of these locomotives do the work of four older locomotives, saving 600 000 litres of fuel a year and lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 1500 tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to eliminating the emissions from 310 cars on South African roads.
The locomotives are a product of ecomagination, a GE-wide initiative to help meet customer demand for more energy-efficient products. These are also the first locomotives in the South African region to meet stringent UIC2 emissions standards.
These first AC diesel-electric locomotives in sub-Saharan Africa deliver 3300 gross horse power (GHP) using an electronic fuel injection system that automatically supplies the exact amount of fuel needed for optimal engine efficiency. The locomotives also feature the company's unique AC propulsion technology and dynamic braking. The addition of these new locomotives, which will be used to haul freight and coal, will decrease life-cycle costs, improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
