CN Rail announced it has purchased its first hybrid diesel-battery electric mainline locomotive from Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, as part of its efforts to decarbonize its business.
The EMD Mainline Hybrid Locomotive will be tested to discover the potential impact and opportunity related to retrofitting a larger portion of the company's fleet, and this initiative is being supported by the Province of British Columbia with a $3.2 million award under the Clean BC Go Electric Commercial Vehicle Pilots Program.
“British Columbians want a cleaner, climate-friendly future, and we are taking actions to make that a reality. Our vision is to build a low-carbon future that supports key sectors like commercial transportation while mitigating the impacts of climate change and meeting our greenhouse gas reduction targets," said Josie Osborne, Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation.
The plug-in hybrid mainline locomotive will be evaluated using CN's mainline in British Columbia, starting in Prince George and the northern part of the province under varying operational and weather conditions. If successful, CN could expand this technology to other parts of its rail line.
In total, CN has nearly 18,800 miles of rail network that connects Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the Southern US and is responsible for transporting more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America each year.
CN hopes the testing will increase the rail industry's knowledge on the potential of battery technology and the impact of alternative propulsion technology on mainline locomotives. As more alternative propulsion solutions are beginning to require batteries - such as hybrid, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell locomotives - CN predicts this initiative will help develop this key technology and further reduce emissions.
“CN is committed to supporting the transition to a net-zero economy and proud of the progress we’ve made so far on our decarbonization journey. We know rail is part of the climate solution, and we are determined to do our part by setting ambitious science-based targets," said Patrick Whitehead, EVP and Chief Network Operating Officer at CN.
