Production of the first EMD Joule freight locomotive powered by battery

Aurizon, one of the leading Australian freight operators, has signed a contract with American company Progress Rail, a subsidiary of Caterpillar, for the construction of the first EMD Joule freight locomotive powered by battery, according to the railway portal Railway Supply.

This locomotive will be designed for heavy trains and adapted for operation in the challenging climatic conditions of the Australian continent.

The use of such locomotives will help Aurizon achieve its plan of achieving zero emissions in freight transportation by 2050.

This will enhance the competitiveness of Aurizon and the Australian economy, enabling the transportation of minerals and grains by rail without a carbon footprint.

Locomobile — the alternative to shunting diesel locomotives

The EMD Joule locomotive will be built based on one of the 120 locomotives from the GT42CU series already in operation in Aurizon’s fleet.

Testing of the locomotive is planned for the first quarter of 2025. In addition to charging at stationary points, the batteries will store energy generated during braking and train movement on gradients.

The locomotive modernization work will be carried out at the Progress Rail facility in Redbank, Queensland.

In January 2022, Australian mining company BHP ordered two eight-axle, two-section EMD Joule locomotives with a power output of 14.5 MW from Progress Rail.

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