I know APUs on airliners, but never heard of on locomotives until now. What's the use of an APU on a locomotive, and what does it consist of ? Dom
The APU provides battery charging and heating for the prime mover water and lube oil when the prime mover is shut down.
An APU is an Auxiliary Power Unit. They can be electric, propane, natural gas powered, or as more common and here, use gas or diesel fuels.