Cordova Bay Station - CPR Momentum

2003-

Issue 2 September 2003

Canadian Pacific Railway Employee Communications
Room 500 401-9th Ave S.W. Calgary AB T2P 4Z4

FOCUS ON FUEL
Dave Jones

Pumping fuel

CPR's fuel consumption has dropped 20 percent in recent years, largely as a result of new, more efficient locomotives, but also through a multi-faceted approach to conservation.

New conservation techniques and technologies could save million of dollars at the pump

In railroading, fuel costs are second only to labor. Diligent train handling, price hedging and a little luck can mean the difference between a poor balance sheet and financial success. Left to the uncertainty of the marketplace, for every dollar the price of a barrel rises ( based on the market price of West Texas crude ), our bottom line takes about a $10 million Cdn hit.

In North America, locomotive fuel consumption is measured by calculating the number of US gallons it takes to haul 1,000 gross tons one mile. In Canada, we also calculate it by litres per 1,000 gross ton miles. Many strategies are used to improve that number, from reducing train speeds and employing strict shutdown guidelines when idling or not moving, to monitoring train handling techniques for best practices. Over the last five years, fuel consumption at CPR has dropped 20 percent, largely as a result of replacing one-third of our locomotive fleet with new, more fuel efficient units, but also from a multi-faceted approach to fuel conservation. Our goal this year is to reduce our current 1.244 gallons ( 4.71 litres ) per 1,000 gross ton miles - the third best rate among North American Class 1 railroads - to about 1.228 gallons ( 4.65 litres ).

"Much of our effort to date has been with automated start and shutdown systems", said John Anderson, CPR manager of locomotive fuel conservation.

"We have 1,585 locomotives operating on our system and they spend up to 50 percent of their time idling, each burning about 2.7 gallons an hour. When you do the math, there's a potential savings of about $20 million. We are continually modifying and equipping our locomotives with this technology as our engines come in for regular or unscheduled maintenance.

Fuel efficiency depends on using the proper procedures at filling stations, employing good train handling techniques, and observing strict shutdown guidelines.

Nearly half of the CPR fleet, or 751 units, are equipped with one form of auto shutdown or another. Three systems - ZTR Smartstart, QEG Electronic Governor, and GE AESS ( Auto Engine StopStart ) - are operating on everything from yard engines and switchers to our big AC traction road engines. All are designed to shutdown and start up locomotives, as necessary, to maintain not only engine temperature, but battery voltage and brake pressure. In addition, a device designed by EcoTrans is being tested by several railroads, including CPR, to keep engine oil and water warm while the locomotives are shut down. EcoTrans states that units equipped with their innovative technology use about one-tenth the fuel of idling locomotives.

"Currently, CPR fuel management is working in conjunction with our systems development & planning people on the automated analysis of locomotive event recorders", John said. "From the event recorder download, road managers will be able to identify how well trains are being handled over their respective territory and how compliant to our fuel conservation policy they are for each individual trip. Locomotive engineers will be notified in a timely manner about the results of the download and how they were graded. The data will be housed in a confidential database to be used when information is requested by regulatory bodies, or when we want to keep tabs on individual performance. We can also use the data to recognize top performers and help to identify potential management candidates".

The analysis will also identify exceptions to permissible train speed, track speed, slow order speed, and other considerations. This will promote safety and should result in a reduction in train accidents and cardinal rules violations. It also supports the transportation/field operations safety plan by managing risks and safety failures, ensuring compliance and supporting recognition and feedback.

Some railroads are already experimenting with sending event recorder data directly to their mainframe computers through the use of wireless technology and radio downloads. This gives fuel and road managers the ability to make quick decisions and identify appropriate training needs.

And, of course, as governments on both sides of the border introduce tougher emissions controls, no strategy or locomotive component can afford to go unexamined. Research in the US is developing bearings that reduce drag, hybrid diesel/battery-powered locomotives, more efficient fuel injectors and new lubrications to reduce wheel and rail wear.

"When you're talking about consuming tens of millions of gallons of fuel every year", John said, "you have to look at every kind of fuel-saving technology at your disposal. And, more importantly, you have to have every one of your train and yard crew members, rail traffic controllers, mechanical and engineering services employees as a committed conservationist.

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy looking for it. Lets all get busy".