Union Pacific will invest $1 billion to upgrade 600 aging locomotives.

OMAHA, Neb. – Over the next three years, Union Pacific will invest over $1 billion to modernize and increase the efficiency of 600 of its aging diesel locomotives.

The decision will expedite the pace of UP’s planned repairs and help the railroad save nearly 210,000 tons of carbon emissions annually, the equivalent of removing 45,000 automobiles from the road.

The railroad predicts that the modifications will increase the fuel efficiency of these long-distance locomotives by up to 18 percent.

Wabtec, a builder of locomotives, will devote eight weeks to upgrading the engines and installing new software and electronic controls.