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Rail Sector Case Studies

Below you will find case studies of projects undertaken in the rail sector.

Table of contents

Railcar Mover
This demonstration project field tested the replacement of a switcher locomotive with a railcar mover to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.



Installation of the Kim Hotstart Diesel Driven Heating System to Reduce Locomotive Idling Time
A diesel driven heating system allowed Athabasca Northern Railway Ltd. to reduce its locomotive idling time and resulted in the reduction of fuel consumption by 12 litres per hour of idling time avoided.



Canadian National Railway's Idle Reduction Project
Canadian National Railway tested automatic start/stop systems in combination with layover warming technology to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases produced from extended locomotive idling.



Installation of Auxiliary Power Units on Locomotive
Huron Central Railway used auxiliary power units to reduce overnight idling by 22,000 hours, which translates into 53 fewer tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.



Testing the use of a hybrid switcher locomotive
IDC Distribution Services Inc. purchased and tested a Railpower Technologies Corp. prototype hybrid switcher locomotive, the Green Kid®.



Use of Top-of-Rail Friction Modifiers to Reduce Greenhouse Gas
Kelsan Technologies Corporation designed a top-of-rail friction modifier to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.



Demonstration Facility for Intermodal Rail Shipping of Food Processing Chemicals
Polymer Distribution Inc. reduced greenhouse gas emissions by using intermodal freight services to ship food grade chemicals.



Combining Anti-idling Technologies for a Northern Climate
Anti-idling technologies allowed Savage Alberta Railway to reduce fuel consumption by 600,000 litres per year.



Testing SmartStart automatic engine stop-start controls to reduce switcher locomotive idling time and fuel consumption
The Southern Railway of British Columbia acquired, installed, and tested commercially available controls to automatically manage the shutdown and restart of two diesel switcher locomotives.



Using Top of Rail Friction Modifiers to Reduce Fuel Consumption
Québec Cartier Mining Company utilised top-of-rail friction modifiers to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.



Installation and testing of locomotive performance enhancement technology
The installation of performance enhancing technologies for locomotives by Quebec Railway Corporation reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.



Date modified:
2011-07-22