Canadian railroad contractor, Cando Rail & Terminals has announced that it is developing a lithium-ion battery-powered switching locomotive for in-yard operations.
This project aims to retrofit a non-tier-compliant locomotive with a battery propulsion system. This will enable all tasks usually performed by a diesel-powered locomotive to be completed without emitting greenhouse gases.
Once the locomotive has been fully retrofitted, Cando will demonstrate and evaluate its technical performance in a real-world switching environment in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This trial operation will also evaluate the performance of the locomotive’s supporting charging infrastructure.
It is hoped that this project will provide industry knowledge to inform the future development of battery-powered locomotives to help the industry reduce its carbon emissions.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be 4 million CAD. The Government of Alberta is committing 2 million CAD to this total through the Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Industrial Transformation Challenge.
“Government of Alberta funding through Emissions Reduction Alberta is critical to help Cando Rail & Terminals develop a battery-powered locomotive customised for industrial switching operations. This industry-transforming initiative could drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping rail service providers and industrial companies moving product by rail meet sustainability goals faster.”
