Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotive at InnoTrans 2008

Freightliner will reveal its new PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives at the world’s largest rail exhibition, Innotrans 2008, held in Berlin.

The new Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives use a new PowerHaul  locomotive engine built by GE Transportation, the Erie-based General Electric Co. division, specifically for European markets. The new 16-cylinder, 3700-hp engine is based on GE Tranporation’s Evolution locomotive platform.

GE Freightliner Powerhaul diesel graphic

The Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives have a North American-style narrow body with exterior walkway. The Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotive’s cabs will have an electronic information screens-equipped left-of-centre driving desk. The Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives cabs will also feature sound insulation and air conditioning.

GE Transportation has said that its latest PowerHaul locomotive engine, built for the Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives, cuts fuel usage by 9 percent compared to the existing fleet. Freightliner says that the PowerHaul engine will achieve 197g/kWh and will further cut fuel usage by controlling auxiliaries separately from engine speed. The Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives will use the current produced during regenerative braking to power the auxiliaries.

Entering the UK freight buiness for the first time, GE transportation will instal the PowerHaul locomotive engine in 30 new Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives in November 2008.

To cater to the European markets, GE Transportation will need to make changes to the PowerHaul  locomotive engines as European locomotives have specific power requirements, For example, the latest GE Transportation locomotive engine that GE Transportation will instal in the Freightliner PH37ACmi PowerHaul diesel locomotives will have to be adapted because the Freightliner locomotive will weigh approximately 284,000 pounds, while a conventional Evolution locomotive weighs 416,000 pounds.

GE Transportation is not focusing on the European market alone. The company is producing locomotives for the Chinese and Australian market.

GE Transporation aims to build 900 locomotives in 2008, and is also building engines for marine applications.

GE Transportation spokesperson Stephen Koller has said that manufacturing different variations of locomotives and engines is not an issue for the company.
Koller been quoted as saying, “You come back to the modular design of the engine and locomotive and there is a certain degree of commonality that simplifies the manufacturing process.”

According to reports, the European markets are a good growth destination, now that US rail markets are facing a slowdown. While GE is dominant in the US rail market with 70 per cent market share, in Europe, Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. have a stronghold in the market for years.