Wabtec Flex drive locomotive.

[AmericanSteam]

Wabtec has developed a 100% battery powered locomotive for the mining giant Roy Hill mining in Australia. This model has 7 megawatt-hours of capacity verses the 2.4 megawatt hours of earlier test units. A reduction of 10% or more in emissions and fuel costs are expected. Loaded 240 car, 33,000 ton trains move downhill from the mine recharging the locomotive batteries by regenerative braking, and expected to recharge the locomotive fully for the return trip of empties. It will be road tested for six to eight months before being shipped to the Pilbara region of Australia. This locomotive will replace one of the current diesels now used in the consist. The color pink was chosen because of Roy Hill' Mining's commitment to breast cancer research.