Battle of Britain: 1st PowerHaul locomotives ship to UK

Two of GE Transportation’s new PowerHaul freight locomotives are leaving their Erie, Pennsylvania factory today and heading to the Freightliner Group Ltd. in the U.K. Part of an order of 30 placed in 2007 — the largest order of freight locomotives in Freightliner’s history — they mark the first entry into the U.K. and European marketplace for the advanced engine technology, which is designed to improve fuel economy by 9 percent. With GE having recently signed service alliances with key maintenance companies supporting railways in Europe, Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa, the shipment and the newly established servicing network together set the stage for further expansion of PowerHaul locomotives into the region.

One of the new locomotives, seen here in GE’s Erie, Pa. plant, bundles up for the trip, which involves traveling by rail to Norfolk, Va., where they’ll then be shipped to South Wales, U.K.

London calling: One of the new locomotives, seen here in GE’s Erie, Pa. plant, bundles up for the trip, which involves traveling by rail to Norfolk, Va. and then via ship to South Wales, U.K. The pair will be joined by four other locomotives scheduled to ship in November.

As GE’s most technologically advanced diesel-electric freight locomotive to date, the PowerHaul series is designed to generate more horsepower while lowering fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions when compared to locomotives currently in use. Its traction control technology also allows it to carry heavier loads by significantly reducing slippage on start-ups, inclines and poor track conditions.

Freightliner’s decision to buy a fleet of GE’s PowerHaul locomotives -- which are part of GE’s ecomagination line of more energy-efficient products – fueled intense interest in rail circles, generating this cover story in Britian's Rail magazine.

A star is born Freightliner’s decision to buy a fleet of PowerHaul locomotives — which are part of GE’s ecomagination line of more energy-efficient products — fueled intense interest in rail circles. Freightliner, which was part of British Rail until 1996, is also tracking the journey on their Twitter site.

Importantly, GE has been developing the infrastructure to support PowerHaul locomotives through alliances with major regional players. In December 2008, GE announced an agreement to supply Tülomsaş with the technology and material to assemble GE’s PowerHaul Series locomotives in Turkey for the European, Middle East and North African markets. And in August, GE and EuroMaint Rail announced a services and technology alliance that will provide European rail customers with service for existing fleets — and create a strong regional service network for the PowerHaul Series.

In the video below, Peter Maybury, CEO of Freightliner Group Ltd., inspects the locomotives during a recent visit to GE’s Erie plant and explains why the technology was chosen. “Every single customer who uses Freightliner has got a choice. There is not one customer who uses us who has to use us. We have to deliver on the promise,” Peter said. “The word — I don’t know if it transfers across in terms of the context that we’ve used it — but we like to say in the U.K. this [PowerHaul] is an elegant solution to the problems faced.”

In the video below, Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of GE Transportation, describes how the PowerHaul program is a critical part of their strategy to grow in a downturn by pursuing global customers.