GE Transportation completed the first production test of its GE
Evolution Series Tier 4 engine. This production test evaluates the
performance, emissions and mechanical properties of the engine. This is
the first engine to go through the newly built test cell in Grove City
and will be sent to one of GE’s locomotive assembly facilities to be
installed into a GE Evolution Series Tier 4 locomotive.
“We are committed to delivering Evolution Series Tier 4 locomotives to
our customers. We’ve already manufactured 27 engines and the completion
of this test is a major step forward in our Tier 4 journey. Through the
efforts of the GE team in Grove City, we’ll be able to validate the test
cell and the production process and make improvements to our overall
plan,” said Tina Donikowski, VP of GE Locomotives, Marine, and
Stationary & Drill.
The Grove City facility serves the global transportation industry in
building new and remanufactured diesel engines for locomotives as well
as for marine and stationary power applications. With a total production
of approximately 3,000+ engines a year, it is one of the largest
locomotive diesel engine manufacturing sites in the world.
GE began building Evolution Series engines in 2003. These engines were
designed to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Tier 2
locomotive emission standards. This newest engine meets the EPA’s Tier 4
locomotive emissions standards, which took effect on January 1st,
2015. GE Transportation was able to meet Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and
Particulate Matter (PM) emissions reductions by at least 70% from Tier 3
emission standards. The new test cell, built specifically for the Tier 4
engine, is equipped to improve technology and tooling that test for
performance and Tier 4 emissions levels.
The development of the Evolution Series Tier 4 engine was part of the
larger $600 million investment made in the Evolution Series platform. GE
was able to create an engine that required no after-treatment to meet
the emission targets. GE Transportation leveraged other GE business
units to develop elements of the Tier 4 engine including the power
assembly, exhaust gas recirculation, common rail fuel system and
turbocharger.
GE has been operating in Grove City for over 42 years. Over the past
four years, GE has invested $130 million in the facilities in Grove City
to support remanufacturing and the Tier 4 engine. As part of that total,
$20 million was spent to improve the machines, testing and equipment for
this specific line. This investment has created over 400 new jobs. In
total, Grove City has over 1,200 employees, who work across two
manufacturing plants.
GE Transportation
At GE Transportation, we’re in the
business of realizing potential. We’re a global technology leader and
supplier to the rail, mining, marine, stationary power and drilling
industries. Our innovations help customers deliver goods and services
with greater speed and greater savings using our advanced manufacturing
techniques and connected machines. Established more than a century ago,
GE Transportation is a division of the General Electric Company that
began as a pioneer in passenger and freight locomotives. That innovative
spirit still drives GE Transportation today. It’s the engine of change
that puts us at the forefront of innovation and technology, where we
continue to realize new potential and keep our connected world moving
forward. GE Transportation is headquartered in Chicago, IL, and employs
approximately 12,000 employees worldwide. For more information, visit
getransportation.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2015