MTA New York City's Staten Island Railway has taken delivery of four new diesel locomotives, replacing four second-hand locomotives, two of which date back to the 1940's. The new locomotives will have a variety of uses, including support of maintenance-of-way efforts, propelling work equipment and clearing lines.
Year-round, the new locomotives will be used to support maintenance-of-way efforts in maintaining tracks, right of way and structures. This includes daily use throughout the autumn months to propel work equipment that steam cleans the running rails and applies traction enhancing gel. Throughout the winter months, they can be used to clear the lines in the event of a major snowstorm. In addition, the new locomotives may haul passenger cars to maintain limited service in the event of a temporary third rail outage.
The new locomotives traveled by rail to Port Newark and then by barge to Stapleton Home Port. The cars were lifted by crane and trucked to the Clifton shop, where they were again lifted by crane and placed onto the tracks. They will undergo testing for about a month before entering service.
The locomotives were manufactured by Brookville Equipment Corporation, are low emission and cost approximately $1.6 million each. They were part of a combined order totaling 16 units, including six for Metro North Railroad and six for Connecticut DOT. Each locomotive weighs 230,000 pounds, has 250 horsepower.