CN buys 161 locomotives

   Canadian National Railway said it will buy 161 high-horsepower locomotives to accommodate anticipated traffic growth and to improve efficiency. 
   Sixty five units will be new and 96 will be second-hand.
   CN will take delivery of new ES44AC locomotives from GE Transportation in 2013-2014, and 30 new SD70ACe locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD). The GE units have 4,400 and the SD70ACe units 4,300 horsepower.
   Keith Creel, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said “the program includes the acquisition of alternating-current locomotives (AC), which will represent a first for CN. Our current fleet of approximately 1,900 locomotives employs direct-current (DC) traction technology, which has served us well because of the overall favourable grades of our network. We will harness the key advantage of AC traction – much higher adhesion or train-pulling ability at low speeds – in assigning the new AC units to heavy-haul coal service in northern British Columbia and Alberta, where steep grades and sharp rail curvature make heavy demands on our locomotives.”
   CN will purchase this year 42 second-hand GE Dash 8-40C, 11 leased GE Dash 8-40C, and 43 second-hand EMD SD60 locomotives. The Dash 8 units have 4,000 horsepower, while the SD60s opeate at 3,800 horsepower. These DC locomotives will be upgraded to CN specifications.