CRISI awards to support OptiFuel diesel-RNG hybrid switchers, line haul locomotives

OptiFuel Systems, which designs and manufactures zero-emission products and services for the transportation sector, said that Colorado State University Pueblo and the University of Delaware received two Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) awards aimed at fast-tracking Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) concurrence for OptiFuel Total-Zero diesel-renewable natural gas (RNG) dual-fuel hybrid switchers and line haul locomotives to 2026 and 2027 respectively.

OptiFuel said the concurrence will allow it to deliver diesel-RNG hybrid switcher locomotives in 2026 to serve short lines and transit railroads awarded 2024 CRISI grants as well as those seeking to submit grant applications in 2025.

Colorado State University Pueblo received $18,417,681, which will support an initiative with OptiFuel and ENSCO Engineering to validate the reliability, crashworthiness and FRA concurrence of OptiFuel’s RNG/hydrogen onboard storage modules for switchers and line haul alternative-fueled locomotives.

The University of Delaware received $18,104,865 to support a program that incorporates long-term reliability testing for multiple line haul locomotives. OptiFuel said it plans to build four additional line haul locomotives in 2026 specifically for million-mile reliability testing at the TTC that supports this effort.

OptiFuel said that by 2028, it plans to commence production of its Total-Zero 5000 hp diesel-RNG dual fuel hybrid line haul locomotives following the completion of FRA concurrence and one million miles of reliability testing.

“We believe that the debate on the next generation power source for freight locomotives is over,” said Scott Myers, OptiFuel’s President. “Replacing existing locomotives with battery-electric, hydrogen or catenary power would cost Class 1 railroads several trillion dollars, while OptiFuel locomotives achieve the same goal at around 5 percent of that cost.”

Myers said that meeting meet Class 1 Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) targets of 100 percent net zero by 2050, a zero-emission line haul locomotive must achieve FRA concurrence and be in production by 2030 to replace the 25,000 high-emission line haul locomotives reaching end-of-life within that timeframe.

“OptiFuel’s innovative diesel-RNG dual fuel hybrid locomotive is the only product on track to achieve FRA concurrence in time to meet this critical need,” Myers said. “OptiFuel’s technical approach to innovation offers railroads not only emissions elimination, but a low-risk, cost-effective solution that can achieve widespread adoption within the next 5 years, reduce annual fuel expenses by up 50 percent and exceed the performance levels of existing Tier 4 diesel line haul locomotives.”

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