Union Pacific to spend $1B to upgrade 600 older locomotives

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific will spend more than $1 billion to upgrade 600 of its old diesel locomotives over the next three years and make them more efficient. The move will accelerate the pace of upgrades UP already planned to make and help the railroad cut roughly 210,000 tons of carbon emissions each year which is the equivalent of taking 45,000 cars off the road. The railroad estimates that the upgrades will improve the fuel efficiency of these long-haul locomotives by up to 18%. To accomplish that, locomotive manufacturer Wabtec will spend eight weeks overhauling the locomotives’ engines and installing new software and electronic controls.