Hybrid electric-diesel trains coming to the United States by 2016

SACRAMENTO, April 7 (UPI) -- According to a press release from Siemens, “The Departments of Transportation for the U.S. states of Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington have awarded Siemens a contract for the delivery of 32 diesel-electric passenger locomotives.”

The contract is valued at $225 Million and includes a purchase option for another 225 of the hybrid trains.

"For Siemens this order marks our entry into the U.S. diesel-electric locomotive market and strongly underscores our long-term vision for the U.S. passenger rail market", said Jochen Eickholt, CEO of the Siemens Rail Systems Division.

The Charger locomotives will be used exclusively in passenger service.

The trains will be manufactured at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, California while the primary traction drive, a 4,400 hp-rated diesel engine with 16 cylinders and a cubic capacity of 95 liters, will be manufactured by Cummins Inc., in Columbus, Indiana.

According to the release, “these modern locomotives are powerful and efficient and will deliver a cleaner ride, with better air quality and reduced emission rates ensuring compliance with the Federal Railroad's EPA Tier IV regulation required to be in place in 2015.”

[Siemens]