Winter-Proof Your Locomotives: Why Reliable Engine Starts Matter

The Winter Problem: How Cold Weather Affects Locomotives

Ensuring your fleet is ready for winter means understanding the challenges locomotives face during freezing conditions. Below are the primary issues cold weather creates for locomotives and fleets during much of the year.

1. Reduced Battery Performance

Cold weather has a crippling effect on batteries, which lose capacity as temperatures drop. This diminished power output directly impacts an engine's ability to crank. Weak battery performance is one of the leading causes of DWS situations.

Did you know? Studies reveal that Dead-Won’t-Start events typically cost operators as much as $21,000 per locomotive.

2. Increased Fuel Consumption

To avoid DWS scenarios, many operators allow locomotives to idle during winter conditions. However, this practice wastes fuel, significantly increases emissions, and strains operational budgets.

At peak, locomotives can consume up to five gallons of fuel per idle hour. Extrapolated across fleets, this practice can equate to millions of dollars annually.

3. Stress on Engine Components

Starting an engine in freezing temperatures involves more effort. This added strain increases wear and tear on batteries, alternators, and starter motors, reducing their lifespan and increasing maintenance costs.

4. Operational Delays

When a locomotive fails to start, the ripple effects are far-reaching—service disruptions jeopardize schedules, delay shipments, and frustrate customers.

Why Reliable Engine Starts Matter

Reliable engine starts are not a luxury—they are a necessity for any railway operator, especially during winter. Here's why they matter so much.

Minimized Downtime and Costs

Reducing the risk of failed starts ensures locomotives are always operational when needed. Fewer maintenance demands translate to fewer lost hours and monetary savings across your operations.

Reduced Fuel Use and Lowered Emissions

Reliable starts minimize the need for extended idling, cutting down fuel usage and emissions. This not only benefits the environment but also supports modern corporate sustainability goals.

Improved Safety

Winter weather is unpredictable. When locomotives consistently start on the first try, operators can mitigate safety risks related to delays or malfunctions during extreme conditions.

Enhanced Operational Efficiency

Timely engine starts keep schedules and deliveries on track, ensuring a seamless workflow during even the harshest conditions.

Simply put, ensuring reliable starts is the key to keeping your fleet efficient, your costs manageable, and your customers satisfied throughout the colder months.

How KickStart Helps Winter-Proof Your Locomotives

KickStart solutions are designed to tackle the unique challenges of winter operations. Using supercapacitor technology, KickStart provides the additional cranking power needed to ensure reliable starts, even in freezing temperatures.  

Here’s why it’s the go-to solution for cold-weather locomotive management.

1. Boosted Cranking Power

KickStart’s supercapacitor delivers a powerful energy burst during the cranking process, greatly reducing battery strain and ensuring successful starts, even in subzero conditions.

2. Battery Protection and Longevity

By reducing deep discharges on batteries during engine starts, KickStart extends battery life by up to two times. This decreases the risk of battery-related DWS events, ultimately reducing maintenance expenses.

3. Fuel Efficiency with AESS Integration

KickStart integrates seamlessly with Automatic Engine Stop-Start (AESS) systems, enabling locomotives to perform start-stop cycles confidently during winter. This reduces idle time, saving fuel and aligning with sustainability goals.

Real-world benefits: Fleet studies show that KickStart can reduce idle time caused by battery charging by up to 50%, saving over 1,000 gallons of fuel per locomotive per year.

4. All-Weather Reliability

Snow, ice, or subzero temperatures—KickStart ensures your fleet remains operational in the harshest weather, safeguarding your schedules and protecting your revenue.

Real-World Results

Data from operators utilizing KickStart technology demonstrates the difference it can make when winter-proofing locomotives.

• 85% Reduction in Voltage Restarts: KickStart eliminates deep voltage drops, significantly reducing battery-related failures.
• Extended Battery Life: KickStart doubles typical battery life to approximately 4–5 years, saving operators between $6,000 and $12,000 in replacement costs per locomotive.
• Reduced Idle Times: KickStart reduces idle times by 10–18 hours monthly, equating to fuel savings of up to $4,320 per locomotive annually.
• Improved ROI: The upfront cost of KickStart offers annual savings of $13,320 per locomotive and a payback period of just over a year.

Winter poses unique challenges, but with the right solutions, you can keep your locomotives running reliably no matter the conditions. KickStart solutions provide the power and reliability needed to minimize downtime, reduce costs, and ensure smooth operations throughout the season.

Unlock Unmatched Efficiency and Reliability

Winter no longer has to be the productivity bottleneck it once was. With solutions like KickStart, locomotives can achieve reliable starts in freezing temperatures while reducing costs, fuel use, and emissions.

Interested in transforming your fleet’s winter operations? KickStart offers peace of mind, proven savings, and measurable performance improvements that will keep your operations on time and on budget.