TOLEDO, Ohio – Rail operations at Toledo Refining Company are getting cleaner, greener and better for the community! Savage Services repowered the NREC N-ViroMotive locomotive it uses to switch railcars at the refinery. The upgrade means significantly reduced emissions, fuel consumption, noise, and better efficiency.
“I’m excited to have Savage here as a business partner with us,” said Mike Gudgeon, Refinery Manager at Toledo Refining Company. “They work closely with us and they’re a very important part of our business, and I’m really glad that they’re taking a leadership role in terms of reducing emissions, reducing noise in this area, and helping us out and our neighbors too.”
The multi-engine locomotive was upgraded with two new Cummins Tier 3 compliant QSK19 engines. The retrofit will reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions by up to 90 percent, reduce fuel consumption by up to 70 percent, reduce noise levels by 85 percent, and increase efficiency by up to 75 percent over conventional locomotives.
“We’re pleased to be able to partner with our Customer, Toledo Refining Company, to make a positive difference for the environment and community by upgrading this locomotive, and we appreciate the state agencies that facilitated grant funding to make this possible,” said Kevin Burke, Savage Vice President and Unit Leader.
The environmental retrofit was made possible by funding awarded through the Ohio Diesel Emission Reduction Grants (DERG) program administered jointly by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Department of Transportation, and was carried out through a public-private partnership with the Ohio Rail Development Commission.
“The Ohio Rail Development Commission congratulates Savage and Toledo Refining Company on the success of this project. This effort represents the work of multiple participants to better serve Northwest Ohio’s communities with a new, ultra-low emission green locomotive. The reduction of emissions and noise levels coupled with increased locomotive efficiency make this project a win for the companies, the community and the environment,” said Matthew Dietrich, Executive Director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission.”