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To cut fuel costs, Class I railroads renew focus on employee education


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 April 2015 - 06:33 AM

Progressive Railroading, April, 2015:

To cut fuel costs, Class I railroads renew focus on employee education, new technology

 

Fuel costs continue to consume a significant portion of Class I railroads' budgets. Even as diesel prices dropped slightly, all but three of them spent more on fuel in 2014 than they did in 2013.

 

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Across the board, fuel ranked as the second- or third-costliest chunk of operating expenses for each large railroad.

 

Continued efforts to rein in fuel costs remain a major focal point for all Class Is, especially in the face of unpredictable diesel prices and increasing cargo volumes. A combination of employee education and emerging technologies rank among their top priorities.

Locomotive simulators teach proper fuel handling

For several Class Is, working directly with their employees is a large part of their fuel management strategy. CSX Transportation, for example, uses a simulator program to help new locomotive engineers gain a firmer understanding of effective train handling and safety "before [they] really start burning fuel," says Meaghan Atkinson, CSX's manager of environmental programs and sustainability.

 

At CSX's Railroad Education and Development Institute in Atlanta, newly hired locomotive engineers spend 24 to 26 hours behind simulators before beginning actual runs.

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#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 28 April 2015 - 06:38 AM

Progressive Railroading, 4/27:

 
Kansas City Southern ready to launch pilot of GE's Trip Optimizer

Kansas City Southern will launch on May 4 a pilot of GE Transportation's Trip Optimizer, the Class I announced late last week. The pilot is scheduled to end June 26.

KCS was determined ready for the pilot following evaluations by GE. Additionally, the Class I's road foreman of engines has completed training for new technology, according to KCS.

The technology, which works like a cruise control function for locomotives, is designed to improve fuel usage by calculating the most efficient operation based on train length, weight, weather and other factors, according to GE.

 

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