FECR Completes Successful Inaugural Run of New GE Locomotives

Historic trip included intermodal, carload and automotive freight

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday, November 21st, Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) completed the inaugural run of its first two new GE ES44C4 locomotives. Locomotives FEC 803 and FEC 804 provided state-of-the-art Tier 3 locomotive power to FECR Train 101 which transported automotive, carload and intermodal freight from Jacksonville to Miami.

FECR team members worked to prepare the locomotives for the first run, ensuring smooth operations for the historic inaugural trip. According to David Kobryn, FECR Locomotive Superintendent, “Within days of these units arriving in Jacksonville, our Mechanical Team completed engine service, equipped the units with WiTonix, and ensured they were ready for the trip to Miami.”

The new locomotives also received positive reviews from the FECR operations team.“The new locomotives are quiet and comfortable in the cab. Overall I was impressed by the way they handled,” said Donald Wolff, FECR Locomotive Engineer.

Mark Baker, FECR Conductor, said, “the new GE locomotives are quieter with a comfortable ride and loud horn. The radio on the conductor side of the cab is a definite plus and good to have for emergencies."

“What a thrill it was to be able to be part of the crew for this historic event with the new GE additions to the FECR fleet,” said Eric Usina, FECR Road Foreman of Engines. “These new GE locomotives exceeded my expectations in everyway on this first run.”

About Florida East Coast Railway

The Florida East Coast Railway (“FEC”) is a 351-mile freight rail line located along the east coast of Florida. It is the exclusive rail provider for Port Miami, Port Everglades, and Port of Palm Beach. FEC connects to the national railroad network in Jacksonville, Florida, and provides carload and door-to-door intermodal solutions across North America to customers who demand cost-effective and premium quality service.