Union Pacific Railroad will acquire from Progress Rail and Wabtec Corporation 20 battery-electric locomotives for testing in yard operations. The combined purchases and upgrades to yard infrastructure are expected to exceed USD 100 million, representing the largest investment in battery-electric technology by a U.S. Class I rail operator.
The company will acquire 10 locomotives from Progress Rail and 10 FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives from Wabtec Corporation.
The 2.5-MWh Wabted locomotives are each powered solely by 7,000 battery cells, providing Union Pacific a zero-emission solution for its yard operations.
The US operator expects that the first vehicles will arrive on site in late 2023 with complete delivery by late 2024. The locomotives will be used in rail yards in California and Nebraska, where they will be tested for performance in cold and warm weather, helping identify the locomotives’ capabilities and challenges for broader deployment.
For every 10 battery-electric locomotives used, approximately 4,000 tonnes of carbon will be annually eliminated, the equivalent of removing 800 cars from the highway. By working with the locomotive manufacturers in this test phase, Union Pacific hopes to advance battery-electric technology development and evaluate its potential deployment in long-haul service.
“We’re committed to actions that reduce Union Pacific’s environmental footprint as we work toward our ultimate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. These investments will contribute to further developing this important technology and providing industry-wide benefits,” Lance Fritz the CEO of Union Pacific said.
Union Pacific published its first comprehensive Climate Action Plan in December 2021, outlining its efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within its operations. As part of that commitment, Union Pacific will reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 26% by 2030 and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The operator will work with community partners to achieve its objective. The Port of Los Angeles, which recently received a Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, awarded Union Pacific a sub-award that will partially cover the cost of one battery-electric locomotive. “This work also will help our customers realise the benefit of moving goods by rail, reducing emissions by up to 75 percent,” Beth Whited, executive vice president of Union Pacific said.
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