On May 1st, the first of 28 new diesel-electric locomotives was delivered to NYCT’s facilities from MotivePower, Inc.
The locomotive was loaded onto a flat car in Boise, Idaho two weeks prior and shipped cross-country over the rails and then off-loaded onto NYCT’s tracks at Linden Yard.
The locomotive will ultimately be transported to the Coney Island Shop for completion of conformance testing and other commissioning activities.
All 28 locomotives are expected to be delivered by mid-2013.
The new locomotives will add ‘much needed resources to the existing fleet as well as replacing several units that have seen nearly a half century of service in the system’, MTA said.
Manufactured by MotivePower, Inc., this new fleet of diesel-electric switcher locomotives, termed R156, is custom designed and manufactured to meet NYCT’s unique requirements such as tight tunnel clearances and strict weight limitations for bridges and elevated tracks.
The units ‘boast enhanced crew comfort and safety features, improved reliability and maintainability, and produce lower exhaust-level emissions than older equipment’.
The R156 uses some of the latest NYCT subway passenger car components, which are service-proven and will result in more reliable operation and increased maintenance efficiency.
The locomotives offer significant technological improvements, including AC propulsion, higher-horsepower, improved fuel efficiency, advanced emissions reduction technology and microprocessor controls.
They also meet the latest crashworthiness and safety standards recommended by NYCT’s Office of System Safety.
