Innovative Rail Technologies helps Palmetto Railways to go electric

Palmetto Railways, a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, is  modernizing its fleet by retrofitting two diesel switcher locomotives with lithium-ion battery technology provided by Innovative Rail Technologies (IRT), a Green Marine partner.

IRT's advanced propulsion technology will not only lower the operating costs of the two locomotives, but also improve their performance compared to their diesel counterparts.

The adoption of IRT’S battery-powered locomotives is expected to reduce diesel fuel consumption by an estimated 40,000 gallons (just over 15,000 litres) per locomotive annually. The corresponding reduction in carbon emissions significantly lessens with the railway’s environmental footprint.

Funding for this ambitious project stems from a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program grant awarded to Palmetto Railways by the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation.