Rail freight and passenger trains crisscross the landscape daily. This complex system must operate efficiently regardless of weather conditions.
Railroad operations depend on reliable, high-quality heaters to keep the engine warm so that locomotives can start on demand. Idling locomotives in cold weather to prevent the prime mover from freezing is costly and harmful to the environment. Using a Hotstart idle reduction heating system ensures locomotives aren't forced to idle overnight, resulting in immediate fuel savings that bolster operation budgets.
Hotstart Idle Reduction Systems heat and circulate both engine water and lubrication oil in locomotives. Electric-powered heating systems connect to shore power when the locomotive returns to the yard each night. Alternatively, our diesel-driven heaters allow locomotives remote from the rail yard to stay warm and ready to start. Whatever your operation needs, Hotstart has a heating system that will keep your trains operating efficiently.
Hotstart locomotive products are available for either rail freight or passenger rail applications. Depending on your need to heat water or oil, provide cab heat, charge a battery, or interface with an AESS system, we have a solution. Refer to the chart below to see which option is best for your needs.
Applications
Moving freight by rail allows more products to be distributed at a lower cost than other forms of transportation. Local Shortline railroads are key business drivers at regional levels, while Class I railroads deliver products across the country and to ports for international delivery. By utilizing Hotstart engine heaters instead of relying on wasteful engine idling in winter, both local and national freight rail operations can reduce their fuel costs and emissions.
Passenger rail is a vital part of transportation infrastructure, allowing for more efficient travel over longer distances and at a lower cost than personal vehicles. Heating generator engines that power these trains overnight, rather than allowing them to idle, ensures power is ready when the commuter day begins.
Case Studies
The Great Lakes region of the United States is an expansive waterway that serves as a critical conduit for international commerce. To transport materials overland, rail companies must contend with conditions that can swing quickly from mild to extreme in a matter of hours. To see just how our heaters are put to the test, we monitored a Hotstart-equipped locomotive through the worst of a Great Lakes winter – November to April.
Download the case study to see the results of this real-world testing.
The Great Plains region in the Midwest of the United States is the heart of its agriculture and raw material production. Here, extreme winter temperatures present a serious challenge to the rail transport industry attempting to keep trains ready to move the lifeblood of the American economy. To see just how our heaters are put to the test, we monitored a Hotstart-equipped locomotive through the worst part of a Midwest winter — December to May.
Download the case study to read all of the information collected in a real-world test.
Indiana Railroad Company (INRD) purchased nine Hotstart APUs (Auxiliary Power Units) for their locomotives to help reduce fuel costs and emissions after an extensive test of one unit. In 2011, INRD utilized Hotstart's “Try and Buy” program to test the APU's effectiveness on one of their locomotives. The unit was installed and run over the winter of 2011-2012. Based on the successful performance, INRD purchased eight more units to install on their fleet. The additional eight units were installed in the winter of 2012.
Download the case study to read the complete story of the Indiana Railroad Company's Idle Reduction test.
Fuel Consumption Calculator
Shortline and Class I railroads looking to save money on their fuel budgets can benefit from idle reduction systems. Eliminating idling in cold temperatures is the easiest way to cut fuel costs during the winter. To calculate how much you can save with an idle reduction system, enter your information into our Fuel Consumption Calculator below.
