Railroad Trains for the Soul: EMD 710ECO Repower
The Electro-Motive 710ECO Repower is another modernization program involving diesel locomotives rated at 3,000 horsepower or lower. It offers more fuel-efficient ECO engines that are based on the popular 710 series diesel; these are available in 8-cylinder (2,000-hp) and 12-cylinder (3,000-hp) configurations. From an environmental standpoint, these engines can comply with the Tier 0+, Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 emissions regulations of the EPA. [1] To identify an ECO locomotive, its name starts with GP (four-axle) or SD (six-axle), a two-digit number, and obviously the three-letter suffix. The first digit refers to the horsepower rating multiplied by 1,000 whereas the second represents the level of emissions standards. For example, the Southern Peru Copper Company imported a couple of four-axle rebuilds designated as GP31ECO, both of which are powered by a 3,000-hp 12-710ECO Tier 1 engine. [2] Depending on the model, some ECO locomotives feature flared radiator vents that were previously seen on the SD45 from the 1960's as well as the late-production SD70M and SD70MAC from the early 2000's.
In 2008, EMD introduced two GP22ECO demonstrator units: No. 7101 (rebuilt from a Kansas City Southern GP40) and No. 7102 (rebuilt from a Canadian Pacific GP9). [3] Eventually, KCS received its Tier 2 GP22ECO's as well as the six-axle SD22ECO's that were converted from various SD40 models. [4] Norfolk Southern is another client of the GP22, only two of which were retrofitted from former Norfolk & Western GP38AC's. [5] We already discussed the Union Pacific's 9900-class SD59MX locomotives, which are SD60M's upgraded with a Tier 2-compliant V12 ECO engine. For that reason, they are considered to be named SD32ECO, regardless of the UP designation. BNSF also has a few SD32's that were originally built as SD45-2's for the Santa Fe. The four-axle GP32ECO fleet was constructed on the cores of the GP38-2 by KCS. In 2013, Canadian Pacific received a fleet of GP20C-ECO locomotives, which were rebuilt from the retired 567-powered GP9 units. The C stands for "crashworthy" because they feature new crash-safe components, including the cab. These locomotives are propelled by the 8-710ECO engine that complies with Tier 0+ emissions standards. CP also added the more powerful six-axle SD30C-ECO units rebuilt from the popular SD40-2's. This is the first railroad to request a Tier 0+ ECO locomotive. [6] Ever since its introduction, the GP20C has been commonly seen each year as a new face to the CP's annual Holiday Train.
In 2016, Norfolk Southern rebuilt some of its GP59's and a single GP50 into the GP59ECO fleet, which is a similar program to the GP59E but with more advanced energy technology to reduce emissions. [7] Union Pacific also has at least one GP59ECO in its roster. A year earlier, NS introduced the GP33ECO locomotives, all retrofitted from a lot of GP50's. Both ECO models are rated at 3,000-hp and equipped with Tier 3 V12 engines. Additionally, all examples of the GP33 have a commemorative two-tone green paint scheme with a state map to represent their assigned locations. They are used to work in some areas of Illinois, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. [8] A mechanically identical six-axle sibling to the GP33 is the SD33ECO, a program involving the SD40 and SD40-2 for rebuilding. So far, all SD33's are assigned to two areas in Georgia with the same paint style as in their four-axle brothers. [9] These NS ECO models were rebuilt with the railroad's custom-designed Admiral Cab and a low short hood. [10] CSX acquired several SD33ECO's remanufactured from some SD40-2's in 2017. While numbering them in the 1700 series, the railroad chose to classify them as SD40E3 (not to be confused with the 645-powered SD40-3 as previously mentioned) to simply indicate their 12-710 ECO engines. [11] In addition, there is the Tier 3-compliant GP23ECO model with the 2,000-hp V8 engine. BNSF, Metra, and the Belt Railway of Chicago are among the purchasers of the GP23. [A, B, C]
Up until 2020, Tier 3 was the highest emissions certification available from the 710ECO Repower program. Usually, a Tier 4-compliant locomotive has a four-cycle engine like the 1010J for the SD70ACe-T4; conversely, the 710 is a two-cycle engine. In fact, Progress Rail introduced a Tier 4 rebuild called the EMD24B, which can produce up to 2,000-hp with the help of a Caterpillar 3512C HD (a four-stroke engine). [12, 13] The first copy of the EMD24B is a demonstrator unit (a former GP40) that was initially tested by the Pacific Harbor Line in California. [14] Later, Union Pacific ordered a fleet of these small Tier 4 locomotives to be rebuilt from its GP38-2's. [15] Back to 710ECO, there is a notable exception: the Norfolk Southern GP34ECO No. 4800. Remanufactured from a GP59 in June of this year, the prototype features the two-stroke 710 V12 engine attached to special catalytic conversion equipment that helps the locomotive comply with Tier 4. [16, D] Originally, a UP SD59MX No. 9900 was designed as a low-emissions testbed in late 2011, but it's very likely a unit compliant to Tier 3.5 instead of Tier 4. [17, E] Therefore, the NS GP34ECO would certainly be the first usage of a 710 Tier 4 engine. This is not the same as a Tier 4 “Credit User”, which is a Tier 3 production locomotive exempt from the current emissions standards, but they basically feature the latest energy-saving technology in an effort to properly use those credits. [18]
There have been a few examples of a passenger locomotive repowered by an ECO engine. Amtrak California (California Department of Transportation) overhauled several F59PHI units with those environmentally friendly upgrades, so they are often referred to as F59PHI-ECO's. They have been spotted with the 710ECO Repower logo at the rear. [F, G]
Please be sure to click below for a PDF copy of the ECO locomotive model charts for further details. I hope these are accurate, but please contact me if you have any corrections. These repowered ECO-motives are surely ECO-friendly!
Sources
1. Trains Magazine January 2017
3. Trains Magazine July 2008
4. Trains Magazine July 2009
6. Trains Magazine April 2013
15. Trains Magazine May 2018
17. Trains Magazine February 2012
Photos