Progress Rail completes tests of first battery-electric EMD Joule loco for US

26 March 2024

Reading time ~ 1 min

The EMD Joule SD40JR loco for the USA. Source: Progress Rail

Ivolgina Anna, Editorial Contributor to International Projects, ROLLINGSTOCK Agency

Reading time ~ 1 min

Stolchnev Alexey, Russian Projects Editor, ROLLINGSTOCK Agency

USA: The six-axle 2,400 kW SD40JR locomotive undergoes final tests at the MxV Rail centre in Pueblo, US.

Soon, the vehicle will be delivered to PHL for shunting operations at Californian ports. The SD40JR is said to be the first exclusively battery-powered locomotive operating in the US.

The SD40JR locomotive features asynchronous traction drive with individual axle control. Its stated maximum speed is 80 km/h, along with a starting tractive effort of 600 kN and a continuous tractive effort of 416 kN. The manufacturer has developed stationary charging stations specifically for this locomotive. According to Progress Rail, the vehicle requires less than four hours to fully recharge its batteries, capable of operating for 24 continuous hours.

Testing of the battery-electric SD40JR loco in Colorado. Source: MxV Rail

Progress Rail unveiled the battery-electric EMD Joule in 2020, which PHL was one of the first to order. The EMD Joule range now offers five different versions.

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