This year, KCSR will repower five GP40 locomotives at the diesel shop in Shreveport, La.  The repower locomotives will be equipped with a more fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly, eight- cylinder, 2,000-horsepower engine, manufactured by EMD.  The repower effort extends the life of 30 to 40-year old locomotives another 20 plus years, reducing the railroad’s carbon footprint.

Teardown of KCS 2813, the first repower candidate, began on January 4.  EMD representatives met with KCSR officials on January 12 in Shreveport to review the scope of work and lessons learned from previous repower efforts.  Each phase of the project is planned in detail with oversight by KCSR locomotive shop management to ensure timelines are met, inventory is managed and costs are controlled.  The first three repower kits will arrive mid-February and the last two mid-March.  It is anticipated that all five locomotives will be repowered and field tested by September. 

Last year, 16 locomotives were repowered for KCSM.  Another 11 locomotives were repowered for KCSR under the Texas Emissions Reduction Program.  The new repower effort is funded by the Diesel Emission Reduction Program.