“Our clean transportation efforts will achieve emission reductions, improve human health, and help protect the environment, while supporting clean growth and generating well-paying jobs for Canadians. We all will benefit by reducing rail sector emissions and by supporting research of new and emerging technologies.”
– The Honorable Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport
NRE continues to set global standards in locomotive emissions. The company has been working in partnership with Canadian customers since new initiatives regulating air pollutant emissions for locomotives were launched through the Railway Safety Act last year. But NRE’s innovations in emissions controls started long before that with engines and systems that exceed emission standards and help move the industry forward.
In June 2017, the Canadian government passed new locomotive emissions standards and test procedures that brought those regulations up to the emissions standards set in the U.S. in 2010.
These new Canadian regulations apply to Class I and railway companies that make more than $30 million in revenue annually.
“Several of the Canadian Industrial businesses don’t currently fall under that regime,” said Paul Seguin, Key Account Manager for NRE. “You have to be defined as a railway company. If you’re operating a locomotive on your own line, you’re not classified as a railway. If you’re connecting to a major line, you may be defined as a railway.” Industrials however have volunteered to look at improving their fleet with T4 Switcher options for clean energy and environmental sustainability initiatives. NRE sees this as a huge opportunity with the Industrial customers as NRE’s T4 N-ViroMotive GenSet locomotive is the only 1200 HP T4 on the market that is a true switcher repower on a SW locomotive frame. About 90% of switcher locomotives were built prior to 1985, long before emission regulations, therefore there are over 10,000 locomotives today that are pre tier 0+.
But this is “step one” in Canada’s effort to overhaul its emissions regulations. Step two may lower the emission requirements, Seguin said, applying them to smaller operations. Whatever the future may bring, Seguin said that NRE is ready with its emission-friendly locomotives and tier emission kits.
“We can sell our N-ViroMotive T4 GenSet switcher locomotives to companies wishing to meet and exceed those new regulations,” Seguin said. “Or we can sell our Tier 0+ / Tier 3 engine rebuild upgrades on 645 and 710 engines so they can upgrade their locomotive fleet. NRE is actively discussing with all market segments in Canada our emission upgrade options and the increased interest has been exciting.”
The GenSet N-ViroMotive locomotive was developed and designed by NRE between 2001 and 2005 in response to the California Air Resources Board more stringent environmental regulations.
The first engine went into service in 2007. Today there are more than 300 N-ViroMotives in service throughout the world.
Seguin has been pouring over the new Canadian regulations and crafting his marketing approach to our northern neighbors.
“My strategy for every Canadian customer I’m calling on now is to ask them, ‘Hey, have you seen the new regulations?’ Some haven’t. Then I remind them about NRE’s emission-friendly products.
It’s been about a year since the new rules, so I revisit the topic with each call and every visit.
“With our GenSets and tier kits, these new regulations are a good step forward for NRE because we are ready for this.”
NRE services all locomotive diesel engines, gensets and power systems, regardless of manufacture, and offers emission compliant options that meet or exceed Tier 0+ through Tier 4 emission standards.
