New power joins NCDOT roster

Written by Railway Age Staff
image description

The North Carolina Department of Transportation and state First Lady Kristin Cooper christened the #1984 “City of Kannapolis” locomotive for use in daily Piedmont passenger service.

The event was held Aug.1 at the DOT’s Transportation Locomotive and Railcar Maintenance Facility in Raleigh.

“We are pleased to christen one of our newly rebuilt locomotives in honor of the City of Kannapolis and its long association with rail service in North Carolina,” said NCDOT Secretary Jim Trogdon. “Rail improvements like this are essential to providing a comprehensive transportation system to move people safely and efficiently.”

The agency names its locomotives for the cities along the Charlotte-to-Raleigh rail corridor. Each locomotive’s number corresponds to the incorporation or charter date of the city after which it is named. The #1984 “City of Kannapolis” is painted in the NCDOT Piedmont paint scheme, which incorporates the colors and symbols of North Carolina’s state flag. It entered service in July.

The locomotive was originally built in 1990 for Toronto’s GoTransit system. As part of NCDOT’s Piedmont Improvement Program funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the unit was completely rebuilt mechanically, upgraded electrically and received car body repairs at Norfolk Southern’s Juniata shops in Altoona, Pa. The 3,000 horsepower prime mover was upgraded to EPA Tier 0+ emission standards.

NCDOT said the rebuild cost $2.15 million, less than the estimated $6-7 million of a comparable new passenger locomotive.

The agency through the Piedmont Improvement Program is investing more than $500 million in rail improvements between Raleigh and Charlotte, including a new canopy at the Kannapolis station. The station served more than 18,000 passengers in 2016 and also provides a space for community functions.

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , ,