The following was posted within a National Corridors Initiative article about InnoTrans 2010, http://www.nationalcorridors.org/df2/df10182010.shtml . Power Play - GE Transportation is number one in North America in locomotive sales, but in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East it is far behind the likes of Alstom, Bombardier, Vossloh, and Siemens – but the Erie, PA based division of perhaps one of the ten most powerful companies on the planet plans to change that with new products such as its Powerhaul series locomotive. The locomotive is produced in Pennsylvania currently for the UK market, including British rail cargo hauler Freightliner. But GE personnel at InnoTrans stated that GE is planning to develop a new version of the Powerhaul diesel locomotive for continental Europe and central Asia markets, most likely with final assembly somewhere in eastern Europe or central Asia with a local industrial partner and potential entry into service in the 2013-14 time frame. The Powerhaul locomotive displayed at InnoTrans had an auxiliary generator set of approximately 16 hp (12 kW), which GE refers to with the aviation acronym APU for auxiliary power unit. The main purpose of this small diesel generator set is to provide power to the locomotive when it is parked or idle, thus allowing the main engine to be shut down completely and thereby saving a considerable amount of fuel. The APU supplies adequate power to keep the brake system air compressor operating as well as power for heat or air conditioning for the driver’s cabs, and in winter power various engine block, fuel and lube oil heaters and pre-start oil pumps. Generally large locomotive engines must be pre-warmed to at least 40°C (105°F) before starting in order to prevent piston – cylinder scuffing, which is the reason why, many diesel locomotive engines are left running at idle in colder weather for hours on end, while the locomotive is parked. This “APU”, which is showing up in locomotives from other OEMs as well, will put an end to this wasteful practice, by allowing the main engine to keep warm during shut-down periods ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours while permitting the locomotive to be started-up and ready for full power within a minute or less, when required. Several supplies of these locomotive APUs offer retrofit packages for older existing locomotive models from all the major locomotive OEMs. Inside one of the numerous exhibition halls was the large GE pavilion. GE also had numerous flags and pennants in the main entrance hall of InnoTrans, thus giving a conspicuous presence to the company at InnoTrans comparable to Siemens, Bombardier, Talgo, SNCF, Alstom, Kawasaki, Hyundai / Rotem, Vossloh and other rail industry heavyweights. Similar to Bombardier, GE has started emphasizing the ecological and low-carbon footprint of its rail industry products and services as a primary target of its market strategy in all of its sales campaigns and literature. Aside from diesel locomotives, GE markets numerous technology solutions to the rail industry ranging from asset tracking and train monitoring services, to signaling equipment and software to financial services.
