Palmetto Railways, IRT Partner on BE Locomotive Retrofit
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
Palmetto Railways photo
Palmetto Railways (PR), a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Railway Age’s 2015 Short Line Railroad of the Year, is partnering with Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT) to convert two diesel-electric switcher locomotives to lithium-ion battery-electric (BE) power. The locomotives are expected to be delivered and begin service within two years.
In September 2023, PR received a $4.17 million CRSI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements) grant from the Federal Railroad Administration for this project; PR will provide a 35% non-federal match. The conversion to BE is expected to reduce diesel fuel consumption at PR facilities by an estimated 40,000 gallons annually per locomotive, while “providing additional resiliency to the local grid infrastructure and to local rail supply chain partners and customers, the railroad said. “The zero-emission locomotives will help maximize a cleaner and more energy efficient transfer and shipment of goods through Palmetto Railways’ existing North Charleston facilities and will support the Navy Base Intermodal Facility currently under-construction with South Carolina Ports Authority.
IRT, which describes itself as “a rail solutions provider that offers proprietary propulsion technology,” will retrofit the locomotives, which “will be less expensive to operate, deliver superior performance and significantly reduce carbon emissions,” compared to diesel-electric units. IRT will provide its proprietary ATLAS (Advanced Technology Li-Ion Adaptive System) technology, a “turnkey, scalable propulsion and control package customized to the unique needs of customer operations. Paired with automated, high-speed charging, IRT’s ATLAS-powered locomotives maintain 24/7 availability for operators in an economically beneficial package.”
“As South Carolina’s trusted Lowcountry short-line rail provider, Palmetto Railways is steadfast in our commitment to adopting advanced technologies that not only help to reduce our environmental impact to our neighboring North Charleston communities, but prioritize safety, efficiency and reliable rail service for current and future customers,” said Palmetto Railways President and CEO Patrick McCrory.
“As we navigate the transformation of industry, it’s imperative that we look around the corner and anticipate needs while incorporating cutting-edge technology,” added South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “Once on line, these state-of-the-art locomotives will position Palmetto Railways to further support South Carolina’s sustainable future.”
IRT, established in 2019, noted it “has a rapidly expanding list of customers that includes Fortune 500 companies, Ports, Industries, and short line railroads. IRT works with its growing nationwide network of locomotive remanufacturers (ATLAS Authorized Installers) and can also provide ATLAS kits directly to customers for in-house remanufacture.”
In July 2023, Alberta-based Cando Rail & Terminals began developing a battery-electric switching locomotive through its Li-Ion (Lithium-Ion) 2025 Project, which involves retrofitting a legacy, non-tier-compliant diesel-electric locomotive with a lithium-ion battery propulsion system. The locomotive will be a scalable solution customized for the company’s In Yard Operations (IYO) or closed loop switching operations. IRT is part of this project.
