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June 2025
Compiled by Julie Sneider, Senior Editor
A. Stucki Co., a Pittsburgh-based provider of rail-car and locomotive parts, recently moved its turbocharger business from Newport News, Virginia, to existing space in the company’s Fremont, Nebraska, bearings plant, company officials said in an email.
“The move was made for both functional and economic reasons,” said Kate Tacner, Stucki’s general manager for turbochargers, bearings and springs. “Having turbocharger and bearings operations in one location, which is in close proximity to our springs plant in Chicago, enables us to offer more streamlined options and packages to our locomotive customers.”
The business was formerly known as American Turbocharger Technologies. Stucki completed a rebranding of the company in December to unite all its subsidiary companies under the A. Stucki name.
Stucki’s expertise includes EMD and GE diesel engine turbochargers for operators of 900- to 5,000-horsepower locomotives. The company also provides Magnus bearings and other freight and locomotive parts at the Fremont location.
Brookville Equipment Corp.’s in-house engineering and manufacturing teams offer modernization services to incorporate the latest technology and safety equipment into existing locomotive fleets for passenger and freight railroads. This provides an option to blend modern systems with proven locomotive platforms, company officials said.
Brookville’s portfolio includes the integration of modern locomotive control systems for improved performance and fuel efficiency, positive train control for safety and regulatory compliance, electronically controlled braking systems for improved performance and control, and remote health monitoring systems for improved convenience and awareness.
In addition to integrating new and modern systems into legacy fleets, Brookville has performed and supported engine technology upgrades integrations from EPA Tier 0+ to Tier 4 and has the capabilities to explore converting diesel-electric locomotives to alternative technologies, such as battery-electric, diesel-battery hybrid and straight-electric power systems, according to the company.
Brookville’s scope of services includes single-system upgrades and integration or comprehensive and multisystem integrations at its Pennsylvania facility.
Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) continues to produce lithium-ion powered switchers with the latest units completed for Nucor Steel operations in North Carolina, and Cando Rail & Terminals in Winnipeg, Canada. Customers are realizing up to 75% reduced energy expenses, IRT officials said.
Also available is automated, continuous one-hour charging, which is an essential consideration in many operations, they said.
Next up for IRT: a GP40 repower for Dominion Energy Inc., which will then supply it to the U.S. Army in Fort Cavazos, Texas. The locomotive will feature a continuous 3,000-horsepower, 2,000+ kWh system, automated high-speed bi-directional charging and regenerative braking.
Following the Dominion GP40 deployment will be a pair of GP20 repowers for Palmetto Railways, which will feature a continuous 2,000-horsepower, 1,200+ kWh system, and automated, high-speed charging. The locomotives are slated to operate in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Other upcoming customers for IRT include port operators, short lines, tourist train operators, third-party switching providers and industrial properties.
IRT can provide a 100% Buy America content bill of materials, including U.S.-manufactured batteries. Most switcher builds can be completed in about 10 months, with assembly performed at Motive Power Resources in Minooka, Illinois, or with RailcarCO in Tallulah, Louisiana.
IRT also provides kits with complete engineering and resource support to customers who want repower at their own facilities.
Imagine replacing an entire locomotive engine trackside in an hour — or changing horsepower or fuel type — all with simple module swaps. That’s the foundation of OptiFuel’s next-generation locomotives: a modular, plug-and-play architecture that delivers unprecedented efficiency, reliability and cost control across both switch and line haul operations, company officials said.
By prioritizing engineering innovations that decouple critical systems for field-level performance and adaptability, OptiFuel technology transforms fixed assets into agile profit-drivers, lowering total cost of ownership, streamlining operations and enabling nimble response to evolving needs, they said.
The results are 40% better fuel economy, over 95% operating availability and high reliability, even under the most demanding conditions, according to OptiFuel.
Unlike conventional locomotives built as single integrated units, OptiFuel locomotives are engineered with independent, self-contained power and fuel storage modules, which enables operators to transfer components between units, snap in spares or swap modules for upgrades in minutes. Modularity supports customized tractive effort and configurable motive power using combinations of battery, diesel and renewable fuels to meet specific performance and sustainability targets.
All locomotives achieve near-zero nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions, while dual-fuel options offer tailored GHG reductions, from incremental improvements to full elimination, company officials said. Advanced load balancing, supported by one-half megawatt to 1 megawatt of hybrid battery power, optimizes fuel efficiency, performance and component life.
In the dynamic realm of rail transport, staying ahead necessitates embracing cutting-edge technology. That’s where Integral Control Systems, offered exclusively by PowerRail, comes in. It furnishes high-quality products tailored for locomotive modernization, assisting to lower operating costs and enhance operational efficiencies, according to PowerRail.
Integral’s Locomotive Control System (LCC) is a card-based control system designed to meet evolving industry demands with flexible and scalable hardware and firmware, streamlining communication and performance. Equipped with operating parameter configuration, the user can safely adjust key common control points without costly firmware updates.
The LCC’s space-saving design is compatible with new power conversion technologies, or it can upgrade and replace older legacy systems. The direct sense interface uses fewer panels and real-time remote monitoring to ensure optimal performance and timely interventions, maximizing uptime and efficiency, PowerRail officials said.
Adaptable full color, touch screen in-cab local display units, available in either 8- or 12-inch versions, offer versatility with AAR, LSI, and UIC layouts. They fully integrate with electronic air brakes and other systems, such as distributed power, remote-control locomotive or end of and head-of trains, enhancing operational awareness and control.
Their latest sensing technology enhances reliability and simplifies troubleshooting through independently isolated signal channels, minimizing faults and downtime, PowerRail officials said. Seamless integration with electronic air brakes ensures safety and precision in braking operations.
When it comes to solutions that work seamlessly together, Progress Rail offers a comprehensive suite of products dedicated to saving fuel, energy and money, according to the company.
Progress Rail’s Talos™ Energy Management (EM) is train automation software designed to automatically and more efficiently control the throttle and dynamic brakes. Talos EM is the only energy management system leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, Progress Rail officials said. With AI that powers results, the system creates customized strategies, managing and optimizing every mile of the journey, they said.
Through this technology, customer deployments are experiencing a reduction in fuel consumption, lower in-train forces and more consistent train operation. Talos also enables locomotive engineers to focus more on the overall situational awareness of the train’s surroundings, which increases train safety, Progress Rail officials said.
Additionally, the company offers NitroETA (ETA planning and execution) and NitroPacing (Pacing Back Office), which use machine learning and optimization tools to improve railroad network operations.
Connecting the movement plan to Talos train automation can further improve network efficiency and fluidity, Progress Rail officials said. During a “meet and pass” situation, NitroETA can optimize the train’s speed — and fuel consumption by Talos — thereby avoiding a delay caused by one train waiting for another.
Meanwhile, the PowerView Sense unit connects to open power over an ethernet port on the PowerView network and enables ultrasonic fuel sensor readings while comparing acceleration data to create accurate tank volume measurements.
Railhead’s patented LED headlight solution offers a high-efficiency solid-state alternative to traditionally fragile 350-watt halogen bulbs, reducing energy consumption by over 85%, company officials said. Each 50-watt unit can save more than 1,095 kWh annually, contributing to lower fuel burn and helping railroads advance their greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
Engineered for durability and long life, while improving illumination for crews, Railhead’s LED headlight is field-proven in harsh Canadian winters and salty, simmering Australian summers, company officials said. It’s also FRA-compliant, dimmable and compatible with preexisting controller boxes, and is designed to extend maintenance intervals.
The low-power draw significantly reduces automatic engine start/stop and dead-won’t-start-related restart delays, Railhead officials said. While halogen headlights can drain a locomotive battery in just six hours, Railhead’s LEDs can operate for over 80 hours before battery depletion, thereby enhancing reliability and reducing unplanned downtime, they said.
In these modern precision railroading times, Railhead’s LED headlight can provide benefits to transportation, mechanical, safety, environmental and procurement departments while delivering a six-to-12-month return on investment through superior illumination, fewer failures, reduced injuries, less maintenance, lower costs and decreased emissions, Railhead officials said.
Despite being the most fuel-efficient method of transporting goods over land, the rail industry continuously strives to further improve fuel savings. Wabtec’s Evolution Series (EVO) engine platform already is recognized as the most fuel-efficient engine on the market, according to Wabtec. Since the engine’s inception, Wabtec has enhanced the EVO locomotive’s fuel performance through various digital solutions, hardware enhancements and services.
This year, the company is launching another new product upgrade for the EVO engine that’s designed to drive more fuel efficiency for railroads. The EVO Advantage system operates by harvesting waste exhaust energy passing through the turbocharger’s turbine that would otherwise be dissipated via the locomotive exhaust stack.
The system uses an eTurbo — a 300-horsepower generator inside the turbo — to convert exhaust energy into useful traction horsepower. Control system logic activates the eTurbo during operation to power one of the traction motors, and because the engine is only needed to power the other five traction motors, the locomotive burns less fuel, Wabtec officials said.
The end goal is to provide up to 7% fuel savings (depending on configuration) across the Association of American Railroads duty cycle while meeting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions and maintaining total locomotive horsepower at 4,500 horsepower, they said.
The EVO Advantage system is deployed in Class I operations and is available for EVO locomotives with six powered axles and high-pressure common rail fuel system, Wabtec officials said. The turbocharger itself will be a full replacement of the existing turbo and will be installed on an engine from Wabtec’s Grove City manufacturing facility. An installation kit and instructions will also be provided to install the full system at an engine overhaul event.
Locomotive restarts are a critical point of failure, especially during long-haul service or extreme conditions. A failed restart, often due to battery limitations, can lead to costly delays, rescue operations and unplanned downtime. ZTR’s KickStart Battery and Starting Manager (BSM) is designed to address this situation, company officials said.
While it benefits all locomotives, KickStart BSM is particularly valuable for long-haul and high-horsepower units where restart reliability is essential, they said. Leveraging high-capacity supercapacitors and proprietary Bus Boost™ technology, KickStart delivers immediate supplemental power during engine cranking, reducing starter motor stress and overcoming voltage dips.
Unlike batteries, supercapacitors charge rapidly, discharge instantly, and maintain performance in cold temperatures, ensuring consistent cranking voltage even under harsh conditions.
KickStart BSM extends beyond starting assistance. Its integrated battery management features actively monitor battery health, optimize charging cycles and prevent overcharging or deep discharges. This intelligent control extends battery life, reduces idle-based charging and minimizes the risk of dead-won’t-start events, turning reactive maintenance into proactive performance management, ZTR officials said.
The system comprises three modular components: control module, capacitor module and power manager module, designed for straightforward integration across a range of locomotive platforms. Early deployments have demonstrated complete elimination of battery-related failed restarts, and significant improvements in locomotive uptime, fleet reliability and reduced service interventions, ZTR officials said.
As railroads seek to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency, KickStart Battery and Starting Manager can eliminate failure points and extend electrical subsystem performance across the locomotive lifecycle, they said.
Email questions or comments to julie.sneider@tradepress.com.
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