PINHAIS, Brazil — Progress Rail has delivered two hybrid EMD GT38H locomotives to Rumo, Brazil’s largest railway operator, which will become the first hybrids in revenue freight service. The locomotives include both a diesel-electric system and battery packs, drawing energy to power the traction motors from the diesel generator and the bank of batteries.
Rumo estimates the units could reduce fuel use by up to 45%, while also reducing emissions such as particulate matter and nitrous oxide, as well as decreasing noise.
“This positive solution from Progress Rail provides considerable gains for our operations,” Marcus Jorge, Director of Maintenance at Rumo, said in a press release. “With this technology in our network, we will be able to evaluate the performance of the unit, considering the characteristics of the track. This is an important step in analyzing the feasibility of expanding the use of hybrid locomotives in our fleet.”
The locomotives will recharge batteries with energy generated during dynamic braking, rather than dissipating that energy as heat through high-power resistors. The locomotives are designed to activate the batteries automatically according to the operator’s power requests; other features include remote monitoring with the potential to anticipate system failures.
“As a division of Caterpillar, we are deeply involved in the energy transition, with our investments in technology — from hydrogen and battery, to electric, to these hybrid locomotives — being jointly developed with our parent company,” said Colin Kerelchuk, Progress Rail senior vice president. “We are pleased to provide these hybrid units to Rumo, which provide fuel and emission reduction solutions to help them meet their sustainability goals.”
Six months of testing is planned between Guarapuava and the Desvio Ribas railway station in the Brazilian state of Paraná, with the first train pulled by the hybrids anticipated to operate in October.
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