VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Canadian National Railway Co. said on Wednesday it will buy 75 new high-power locomotives from two companies, General Electric Co. and Electro-Motive Diesel.
CN Rail, which did not disclose the cost of the locomotives, said the order includes options to purchase an additional 75 engines from the builders, and will allow it to replace 100 older and less powerful locomotives now in service.
Canadian National's engine roster now includes more than 1,300 units used in mainline service and more than 700 switchers.
The railway said the initial order includes 50 ES44DC locomotives from GE and 25 SD70M-2 units from Electro-Motive Diesel, which was recently purchased by Greenbriar Equity Group LLC and Berkshire Partners LLC.
If CN exercises its option to purchase more units, it would take 50 SD70M-2s and 25 ES44DC engines.
The first locomotives will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2005, and the deliveries are expected to be completed by mid 2006. The option to buy additional units continues through the end of 2008. "