Fort Worth’s GE locomotive plant receives new orders

The new Tier 4 low-emissions Evolution Series locomotive was unveiled at a ceremony at GE Transportation in Lawrence Park Township, near Erie, Pa., on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012. The 4,400-horsepower diesel-electric locomotive meets federal EPA emissions standards more than two years ahead of the 2015 deadline. (AP Photo/Erie Times-News, Christopher Millette) 

GE Transportation, one of the operating segments of General Electric, has received orders for 225 refurbished locomotives from several railroads for work that will be performed at the company’s Fort Worth facility.

GE will also deliver 80 modernized locomotives ordered by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited CP and 100 by Norfolk Southern Corporation NSC , throughout the year.

With the increased demand, GE’s 1 million-square-foot facility in Fort Worth is now the world’s largest locomotive modernization facility, according to the company.

The modernization program updates aging locomotives — some more than 20 years old. The solutions range from simple changes, including control system upgrades, to complex restorations, such as the comprehensive transformation of an aged DC locomotive into an AC locomotive outfitted with state-of-the-art digital technology.

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“This rebuild program with GE Transportation aligns with Norfolk Southern’s strategic values for responsible stewardship of resources,” said Doug Corbin, assistant vice president – mechanical at Norfolk Southern. “It will modernize and improve our locomotive fleet, adding service life, increasing freight hauling capacity and enabling us to reduce capital spending requirements for new locomotives by efficiently refreshing our existing assets. Modernizations will most likely be a strong portion of our locomotive capital spending for a number of years.”

General Electric said in November that the industrial giant plans to exit at least $20 billion in operations in an effort to improve its financial performance. Part of that effort is exploring options for its transportation unit, its lighting division and its health care information systems business.