NS launches $53 million energy conversion project at Juniata Locomotive Shop

NS will replace the shop’s coal boilers, which date back to the facility’s Pennsylvania Railroad origins, with natural gas heaters and install a 1.2-megawatt capacity combined heat and power generator that will produce enough electricity to sustain the entire 16-building complex. When completed in late 2017, NS expects the improvements to save about $4 million in electricity costs, reduce water usage by 49.4 million gallons from steam-water recovery and eliminate more than 29,000 tons of carbon emissions in Pennsylvania on an annual basis. The project goes beyond equipment changes to include adding insulation, energy-efficient windows at key locations, high-speed roll-up doors on locomotive bays and replacing roofing “to ensure the full sustainability benefits of the investment are realized.”

The project follows a comprehensive review of work demands and energy consumption at Juniata. The facility has about 1,050 employees who specialize in heavy repairs and engine overhauls. Back in its PRR days, Juniata Shops built and overhauled steam locomotives, later adding electric locomotives to its capabilities.

“This project showcases Norfolk Southern’s commitment to sustainability and innovation,” said Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman. “The Juniata Locomotive Shop has a 125-year legacy of leading the rail industry in locomotive technology, and with our energy conversion project, this shop and its employees will remain an industry frontrunner in the 21st century.”

“I applaud Norfolk Southern’s commitment to innovation and growth for the rail industry in Blair County and across the country,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA-9), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “The Juniata Locomotive Shop has been operating for more than 100 years in Central Pennsylvania and this latest investment helps solidify its continued role in growing this nation through our railroads.”