Tier 4 Evolution Series prototype unveiled

[GEVO]

Friday, Aug. 24 -- GE Transportation will welcome invited guests to its Lawrence Park plant for the unveiling of a new prototype locomotive.

The company will be showing off what it calls first-in-class technology that will enable customers to meet new Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emissions standards.

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art ... 2308129986

[MEC407]

Interesting. I wonder if this new locomotive will have any special Tier 4-related appurtenances visible from the outside, or if it will look basically the same as previous Evolution Series locos...

[Irongrave]

Its outside today. Its engine hood and radiator section are much bigger then the older GEvos. numbered 2015 painted blue on the top green on the bottom. I couldnt get a photo from the street with out drawing attention to myself. Though my fiancee might try to get one before she leaves work today(engineer at GE).

[MEC407]

Thanks for the info!

[GE506]

Here it is

[GE506]

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-a ... 4946_n.jpg

[MEC407]

Wow! Please give your fiancee my thanks for the photos.

[GE506]

Sorry, but you must be thinking of Irongrave, but you are welcome!

[MEC407]

Oops! You're right. Sorry 'bout that! Thank YOU for the pictures.

[Irongrave]

another photo, we were at a GE function this evening sorry for the delay. Did here a few rumors that its not quite ready for road testing yet. If I here anything I'll be sure to post up the info. Sadly I don't know any one working on tier 4 stuff right now.

[MEC407]

Looks like the much larger engine hood required them to "get creative" in order to meet FRA horn requirements and still maintain the same height clearances they had with previous models:

Two trumpets up front: http://reprints.goerie.com/mycapture/en ... ryID=60309

And one trumpet embedded in the rear of the radiator: http://reprints.goerie.com/mycapture/en ... ryID=60309


More photos: http://reprints.goerie.com/mycapture/fo ... 309&view=1

[MEC407]

From GoErie.com:

The prototype of the latest version of the Evolution locomotive was shown to employees, elected officials, the media -- and notably -- more than 30 potential customers Friday at the Lawrence Park Township plant, just outside Erie.
...
The prototype eliminates "the false choice'' that a manufacturer must choose between better fuel efficiency and better environmental performance, said Mark Vachon, vice president of GE ecomagination, the company's business strategy that invests in clean technology research and development.

"This team has delivered both,'' he said
...
Depending on production schedules, the rest of the locomotives -- including another 30 to be built for testing by GE customers -- will be manufactured at one or both of the company's plants in Lawrence Park or Fort Worth, Texas, said GE Transportation spokesman Mark Beckett.
...
The announcement appears to put GE Transportation ahead of Caterpillar Inc., its top competitor. But Caterpillar is also looking at ways to cut pollution and build its market share.

Article and video at: http://www.goerie.com/article/20120825/ ... locomotive

[Allen Hazen]

Looks as if the radiator has gotten bigger AGAIN. The radiator "wingspan" seems to slope down more from the centreline than in previous models: maybe the radiators are now so wide they couldn't fit into the loading gauge at the old angle? And, at least on the right-hand side of the unit, it looks as if there is a lot more air intake area for the radiator compartment.

It appears that the other new equipment is mounted ABOVE the engine-- the engine caused to be lower than the auxiliaries/central air/d.b. cab, and now it is higher. Some form of exhaust treatment (catalytic convertor?) maybe?

The overall length of the unit, however, may not have increased: it may be on the same frame as earlier ES44, not on the longer one used on the AC60CW (and the 4400 hp units built with extra-large radiators for Western Australian service).

---

Note that the article talks about a plan for 30 service-test units. As with the Evolution Series istself, GE obviously wants all the bugs worked out before the new design is legally required!

(Thanks everybody who posted pics and links!)

[Bright Star]

Interesting how GE works the PR machine while the competition operates under almost total secrecy. Of course, one can't sell what doesn't exist...

BS

[MEC407]

Op-ed piece in the Erie Times-News:

The second of six locomotives to be tested is almost complete, and four more locomotives for testing will be built in Lawrence Park. An additional 30 locomotives for customers to test will be built in Erie, at the new GE plant in Fort Worth, or possibly at both plants, GE officials said. Lorenzo Simonelli, GE Transportation chief executive, said that the effect on employment at the Lawrence Park plant depends on how many locomotives GE sells.

Still, GE is well-positioned to be in the driver's seat, so to speak, on this new product. This new locomotive has been built to meet stringent federal emissions standards, but in addition to reducing pollution, these locomotives also improve fuel efficiency, showing that manufacturers don't have to make "false choices" between striving for better fuel efficiency and products that are better for the environment, according to Mark Vachon, vice president of GE's "ecoimagination" initiative. "This team has delivered both," Vachon said.

Read more at: http://www.goerie.com/article/20120829/ ... ocomotives