“This technology increases the capacity of railways worldwide without laying a single new track,” Lorenzo Simonelli, GE Transportation President and CEO, explains. “RailEdge optimizes the railroad resources that are already in place — something that only technology can truly help us achieve.” For example, a railroad running 20 trains a day between New York and Washington, DC could increase that to 23 trains a day with RailEdge simply by better utilizing the existing track more productively.

Following the success of the initial rollout, Norfolk Southern now has plans to use it along its entire 22 state network. The small gains in routing and speed for Norfolk Southern trains add up to “sizeable efficiency gains on a 2,500-train per day, 21,000-route mile system like ours,” Wick Moorman, CEO of Norfolk Southern, said. “With railroads, it’s about scale… When we make the best use of existing transportation infrastructure, that’s a competitive advantage for our customers and the country.”

RailEdge also improves railroad crew management availability. It’s the latest example of how GE’s $4 billion-a-year software and solutions services businesses are helping customers improve productivity.

Track star: Without movement planner, a freight train leaving Louisville, KY would arrive in Macon, GA in about 27 hours. With Movement Planner, that same train would arrive in 22.5 hours. Saving more than 4 hours of travel.

Watch CNBC’s interview this morning with Lorenzo Simonelli and Wick Moorman:

* Read today’s announcement
* Read more transportation stories on GE Reports
* Read “GE’s fuel ‘autopilot’ software set for 200 locomotives” on GE Reports
* See why our Evolution series is part of our ecomagination line
* Learn about our Evolution Hybrid Locomotive

Rail good news! The Model C25 six-axle locomotives were designed specifically to accommodate Nigeria’s weight per axle and clearance characteristics. Locomotives similar to the C25 are already successfully hauling freight in South Africa. Approximately 17,000 GE locomotives are in use in more than 50 countries around the world.

The new GE fleet will not only help Nigeria meet its rail ambitions — they mark another global jobs collaboration across GE. Just as we reported in our recent “sugarland express” story about ethanol giant Cosan ordering 50 locomotives for its Brazilian operations, the engines are manufactured in our Grove City, Pennsylvania plant while the locomotives are built by GE’s facility in Brazil. The South America plant has built GE diesel electric locomotives, including the C Series being used by Nigeria, since 1967.

Daniel Weinreich

Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation, said “the arrival of the first locomotives represents an important step in GE Transportation’s entry into the Nigerian market place.” And as GE’s Daniel Weinreich explains in the audio clip below, the new technology being introduced into the aging Nigerian fleet will not only mean improved hauling capabilities on both freight and passenger lines, but increased fuel efficiency, too.

GE has a long-standing relationship with Nigeria in other sectors such as energy, aviation, and oil & gas, with over 170 employees in country. In 2008, GE’s revenues in Africa were $3.5 billion, an increase of almost 40 percent over 2007. For example, GE Aviation has sold about 95 engines with a list value of $1 billion in Nigeria since 2006. And, of the more than 200 GE gas turbines currently installed in Africa, Nigeria is home to more than half.

A fast train to Africa: The C25 Locomotive is seen here in Brazil with a delegation from Nigeria before shipping. From left to right: Bature Gafai, Director of Land Transport; Bernard Udoh, Chairman House Committee of Land Transport; Kayode Garrick, Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil; Isa Ibrahim Bio, Minister of Transport; Senator Yakubu Lado, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport; Mohammed Mijindadi, GE Transportation Commercial Leader for West Africa; and Umar Sarkinfada, Minister of the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil.

* Read today’s announcement
* Learn more about GE’s other operations in Nigeria
* Read “GE and Nigeria ink landmark infrastructure agreement” on GE Reports
* Read “Healthcare in Africa: A closer look at Ghana” on GE Reports
* Read “The sugar-land express: Brazil orders 50 locomotives” on GE Reports
* Read more Transportation stories on GE Reports

How sweet it is! In 2009, sugar output in Brazil’s Center South, the world’s biggest-producing area, more than doubled versus last year, according to the region’s sugar association. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images.

Delivery of the 50 new AC44i models — which are AC heavy-haul, diesel-electric locomotives for freight transport — will start in 2010. Cosan, which is one of the largest ethanol producers in the world, will use the new locomotives to haul sugar from its processing plants to port on the rail infrastructure provided by its partner, America Latina Logistica.

The locomotives feature GE’s unique traction-control technology that enables them to haul heavier loads by significantly reducing slippage on start-ups, inclines and poor track conditions. They’re also equipped with advanced braking systems that provide smoother handling when hauling heavier loads.

GE Transportation South America has built diesel electric locomotives in Brazil since 1967 — and has produced more than 1,000 locomotives that are operating in more than 15 countries around the world. Approximately 17,000 GE locomotives are in use in more than 50 countries around the world.

* Read today’s announcement
* Read about GE Aviation’s recent deal with Brazil’s Azul airline

Learn more about GE Transportation in these GE Reports stories:
* “China deals span coal, high-speed rail & locomotives”
* “From Erie to Mongolia: GE’s Evo locomotive arrives”
* “Battle of Britain: 1st PowerHaul locomotives ship to UK”
* “GE’s new Evo locomotive: From Russia, with love”
* “GE’s fuel ‘autopilot’ software set for 200 locomotives”
* “GE & Kazakhstan ink major rail service & plant deals”
* “GE’s Evo locomotive wins in fuel efficiency competition”
* “All aboard! Seattle’s light rail starts rolling with GE

Monte Atwell

In the area of cleaner coal technology, GE Energy and Shenhua Group Corporation have agreed to a framework for an industrial coal gasification joint venture. It covers research and development on new cleaner coal technologies with the goal to improve the cost structure and the performance of commercial scale gasification plants.

As Monte Atwell, General Manager of the Gasification group at GE Energy, explains in the audio clip below: “This proposed joint venture would combine GE’s expertise in gasification and cleaner power generation technologies with Shenhua’s expertise in building and operating coal gasification and coal-fired power generation facilities.”

Cleaner coal: The cleaner coal joint venture will involve the technology known as an integrated gasification combined cycle system, which uses a complex mix of chemical scrubbers and systems to produce electricity with much lower emissions than conventional coal plants. The partners will also jointly pursue the deployment of commercial scale IGCC plants with the ability to capture and store carbon.

Lorenzo Simonelli

At the same time, GE and China’s Ministry of Railways are partnering to accelerate the development of high-speed rail projects in the U.S. While GE is the world leader in diesel-electric locomotive technology, it currently doesn’t make locomotives for high-speed rail travel. The goal of the new partnership is to more effectively compete against European and Japanese companies for high-speed rail related opportunities. It would create in the near future about 150 high technology jobs in the U.S. and would sustain approximately 3,500 U.S. jobs over time. At least 80 percent of the content would be sourced from the U.S. and all final assembly will take place in the U.S. In the audio clip below, Lorenzo Simonelli, President and CEO of GE Transportation, explains the partnerships and deals.

Locomotive assemblies order: CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Co., Ltd. placed an order for 300 Evolution Series locomotive assemblies in a deal announced on Sunday. The agreement helps to sustain nearly 1,200 clean-technology jobs in the U.S and follows an order of 300 Evolution Series China Mainline Locomotives originally placed in 2005. The companies announced today that they are also forming a joint venture to develop, build and service GE’s Evolution Series locomotive diesel engines in China, where there is significant opportunity for modernization. Of the 12,000 diesel locomotives in China, only a small fraction use advanced technology.

Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE, said the agreements share common themes: “rapid growth potential, clean technologies and job creation. “New global sales will be a direct result of these collaborations,” he said, “safeguarding and growing U.S. jobs while supporting Chinese growth for GE businesses and the Chinese aviation, energy and transportation industries.”

Avionics joint venture: On Sunday, GE Aviation and AVIC Systems announced that they would create a global avionics business to develop and market integrated systems for commercial aircraft customers. The first goal is to bid for the electronic systems work that will be required for China’s new 168-seat, single aisle passenger jet that is currently being built. The joint venture then hopes to win contracts with other global aviation players, such as Boeing and Airbus.

GE Vice Chairman John Rice discusses the deals in the CNBC interview below:

* Read “Joint aviation venture with China to create 200 US jobs” on GE Reports
* All of the week’s press releases are available at http://www.ge.com/chinanews
* See videos in: “A cleaner path to coal: The ABCs of IGCC technology”
* Read “California plant picks GE’s advanced coal technology” on GE Reports
* Read GE Reports’ story about capturing carbon from IGCC plants
* Read “GE’s first ‘made-in-China’ locomotive hits the rails”
* Read “From Erie to Mongolia: GE’s Evo locomotive arrives” on GE Reports

Strong roots: GE Aviation is already working with China to supply engines and systems for the ARJ21 regional jet, seen above, which is a large production program that is one of the country’s national priorities.

Lorraine Bolsinger

The framework agreement that was just signed calls for launching a new 50-50 joint venture company by mid-2010, with the goal to first focus on bidding electrical power systems and services for China’s new C919 — a narrow-body, single aisle plane designed to carry 168 passengers. It’s set to enter service in 2016.

The new avionics company, to be headquartered in China, will offer fully integrated, open architecture avionics and services for future commercial aircraft programs, not just those made by China. Lorraine says the joint venture will create approximately 200 jobs in the U.S., and that after the company has bid for the COMAC C919, they’ll then focus on systems for “the next generation of Boeing and Airbus products.”

Sign language: Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE, and Lin Zuoming, president of AVIC, signed a framework agreement for open architecture avionics. Definitive documentation is being put in place with the goal of launching a new JV company by mid-2010, subject to receiving all required regulatory approvals.

* Read the announcement
* Read coverage of the deal on Bloomberg News
* Read coverage of the deal from the Associated Press
* To learn more about GE news in China, visit http://www.ge.com/chinanews.
* Read Lorraine Bolsinger’s post from March about GE’s manufacturing facility in China
* Read “Jump into GE’s integrated cockpit at Paris Air Show” on GE Reports

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.

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.

* Read today’s announcement
* Watch a video of a PowerHaul test at GE’s Erie plant
* Read “GE’s new Evo locomotive: From Russia, with love”
* Read “From Erie to Mongolia: GE’s Evo locomotive arrives” on GE Reports
* Read “GE’s fuel ‘autopilot’ software set for 200 locomotives” on GE Reports
* Read “GE & Kazakhstan ink major rail service & plant deals” on GE Reports
* Read GE Reports’ story about its Evolution locomotive’s head-to-head fuel test
* Read “All aboard! Seattle’s light rail starts rolling with GE” on GE Reports

Going high-tech: Ulan Bator, pictured above, is the capital of Mongolia, which borders Russia to the north and China to south, east and west. Although it doesn’t share a border with Kazakhstan, only 24 miles separates them.

GE’s new relationship with Mongolian Railways, which leases locomotives and railcars to railway companies in Mongolia, is coming at a good time. As India’s Business Standard says, the country “could become a Dubai in the next ten years or so — at least that’s the expectation after the country’s Parliament recently passed a landmark package of laws that opens Mongolia’s huge mining reserves to big-time foreign investments.”

And the local UB Post recently noted that a new deal between Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar Railways and its investment partner could result in investment in the country’s rail infrastructure reaching up to $6.5 billion, including $2.2 billion on the modernization of the existing network, $400 million on renewing rolling stock, and $3.9 billion on building new tracks. GE’s Evolution locomotive will be leased to Ulaanbaatar Railway to increase hauling capability while reducing costs due to the Evolution’s fuel-efficient, low-emissions engine.

In the audio clip below, Bob Parisi, general manager of GE Transportation’s international locomotives business, explains the broader strategy driving the Mongolia deal.

Training day: The Evolution Locomotive that was just delivered is the most technologically advanced diesel-electric, heavy-haul locomotive to-date and is part of GE’s ecomagination line of more energy-efficient products. It’s path from Pennsylvania to Mongolia is part of GE Transportation’s push to pursue global free trade opportunites in the reset economy.

The Ulaanbaatar railway is an important gateway, connecting landlocked Mongolia with the countries of Europe, East Asia and South East Asia. The main railway route stretches from north to south connecting Moscow and Beijing. Mongolian Railways said it chose GE because of its technology — which provides better traction under the adverse conditions common to the region — and due to the lower costs of maintaing the engines over their lifetime. “In addition, GE offered a service support package with the locomotive that includes an on site Technical Adviser, spare parts and tools,” said A. Batbold, General Director of Mongolian Railways.

* Learn more about the Evolution Locomotive’s features in the announcement
* Read “GE’s fuel ‘autopilot’ software set for 200 locomotives” on GE Reports
* Learn more about GE’s display at the Russian Expo
* Learn about GE Energy’s new Russia service center
* Read “GE & Kazakhstan ink major rail service & plant deals” on GE Reports
* Read GE Reports’ story about its Evolution locomotive’s head-to-head fuel test
* Read “All aboard! Seattle’s light rail starts rolling with GE” on GE Reports
* Learn more about the Evolution series
* Learn about our Evolution Hybrid Locomotive
* Read about our newest model of the Evolution
* Watch a video of the Evolution being made and the 3,000th Evo dedication ceremony

Ticket to ride: Central Puget Sound’s transportation authority, Sound Transit, officially opened its north-south Central Link light rail line on July 18th. GE’s systems are also in use in cities around the world, including metros in Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Rio, Brazil; and Hangzhou, China. Photo: Sound Transit.

The 14.2-mile Central Link light rail line runs from downtown Seattle to the Tukwila Station near the Sea-Tac airport. The new line will allow riders to travel between Tukwila and downtown Seattle in 30 minutes, with trains running every 7.5 to 15 minutes. When the Link light rail line is extended to the University of Washington, it will serve an estimated 100,000 riders a day.

Training day: More than 92,000 riders used the new light rail line in its opening weekend, according to press reports. Photo: Sound Transit.

GE’s technology includes an operations control center system; fire detection, security, and ventilation systems; and station communications. GE is also providing critical systems for train movement detection, train traffic safety interlocking systems, power switch machines, train signals, grade crossing control equipment, train-to-trackside communications, and track-to-vehicle speed limit communications.

GE’s technology spans five street-level stations, two elevated stations and five that are underground. And in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, the GE system will manage both train and bus traffic, which share lanes in the dual-use tunnel.

GE is also contracted to extend communications and train control signaling for the airport extension of the Central Link, which will connect the Tukwila Station to the Sea-Tac airport, which is expected to open in December 2009.

* Read the announcement
* Read the Associated Press story of the opening
* Read about the ride in the Seattle Post Intelligencer
* Read The Seattle Times’ editorial

Check out these links to learn more about GE’s locomotive business:
* Read about GE’s Trip Optimizer software for locomotives
* Read GE Reports’ story about its Evolution locomotive’s head-to-head fuel test
* Learn more about the Evolution series
* Learn about our Evolution Hybrid Locomotive
* Read about our newest model of the Evolution
* Watch a video of the Evolution being made and the 3,000th Evo dedication ceremony

On the right track: GE’s Trip Optimizer was tested on 18 Canadian Pacific-owned GE Evolution Series locomotives. Areas were chosen that have significantly different geographical characteristics, such as the mountainous regions in British Columbia, the Saskatchewan prairies, and winding track in Northern Ontario. More than 500 train starts and 50,000 revenue miles were accumulated during the test.

The Trip Optimizer, which is part of GE’s ecomagination portfolio, can potentially reduce fuel consumption by up to 32,000 gallons per year per locomotive. And if the technology was applied to a fleet of 1,500 Evolution Locomotives, which are also in the ecomagination line, it could save an estimated 48 million gallons of fuel per year.

In Canadian Pacific’s tests on freight trains of various lengths, fuel savings ranged from 6 percent to more than 10 percent, depending on territory. The magnitude of that savings is of particular note, as it shows that fundamentally redesigning equipment — as GE did with its $400 million investment in developing the Evolution series locomotive — isn’t the only path to making sizable efficiency gains. Rather, giant leaps can also be made with software-based solutions — which is what the Trip Optimizer is at its core.

If every train in North America used Trip Optimizer it would save approximately 630 million gallons of fuel per year, the equivalent of eliminating more than one million cars from the road.

Rail, yes! GE’s technology can be engaged or disengaged at any time — which leaves train crews in charge of safely operating the train. The system uses a GPS and advanced algorithms to automatically learn the train’s characteristics throughout the trip to achieve the fuel savings. The system evaluates train length, weight, grade, track conditions, weather and locomotive performance to calculate the most efficient way of running the train while maintaining smooth train handling.

For rail operators already using GE’s Evolution locomotives, the new technology can be deployed as a turnkey system. It can also be combined with GE’s other ecomagination locomotive system — Locotrol Distributed Power — which allows a single operator to control multiple sets of locomotives distributed in the same train, thereby saving fuel and cutting emissions.

* Read the announcement
* Learn more about the Trip Optimizer
* View an animated explanation of the Optimizer’s specs
* Learn more about GE’s Locotrol system
* View an animated explanation of Locotrol’s specs
* Read GE Reports’ story about its Evolution locomotive’s head-to-head fuel test
* Learn more about the Evolution series
* Learn about our Evolution Hybrid Locomotive
* Read about our newest model of the Evolution
* Watch a video of the Evolution being made and the 3,000th Evo dedication ceremony