SmartStart
Most Trusted Automatic Engine Stop-Start System for Locomotives
SmartStart AESS (Automatic Engine Stop-Start) is an intelligent idle-reduction system that automatically shuts down and restarts a locomotive’s engine based on real-time operating conditions. Instead of idling for hours and wasting fuel, SmartStart evaluates critical parameters including engine temperature, battery voltage, air pressure, and ambient conditions to determine when it’s safe to turn the engine off.
It continuously monitors those same variables to restart the engine when needed, ensuring that the locomotive is always ready to operate, without consuming fuel or adding engine hours unnecessarily. The result: lower fuel costs, reduced emissions, less wear and tear, and improved operational efficiency, all without manual intervention.
Why SmartStart?
For over 30 years, SmartStart has been the industry leader, installed on 10,000+ locomotives worldwide. With fully automated engine control, real-time monitoring, and intelligent data connectivity, SmartStart enables railroads to achieve greater efficiency, sustainability, and cost savings.
By automatically shutting down the engine during extended idle periods and restarting only when necessary, SmartStart eliminates unnecessary fuel burn without impacting readiness or crew comfort.
By significantly reducing unnecessary engine idling, a SmartStart reduces 70+ metric tons of CO₂ annually per locomotive, equivalent to removing 15 cars from the road or preserving 85 acres of forest.
EPA Compliance & Reporting
SmartStart automatically generates emission reports based on geozone, to support compliance with EPA locomotive emissions regulations, making regulatory documentation seamless.
Rapid Return on Investment (ROI)
With an average payback period of less than a year, SmartStart generates immediate cost savings of more than $28,000 USD per locomotive annually.
Automated Battery Monitoring & Protection
SmartStart constantly monitors battery voltage levels and automatically initiates an engine restart if voltage drops below safe thresholds. This prevents deep discharge, maintains battery health, and ensures reliable starts.
Seamless Fleet Integration
Designed to work across a wide range of locomotive models and vintages, SmartStart can be easily installed on both modern and aging fleets, making it ideal for large-scale deployment with minimal disruption.
Remote Monitoring & Data Insights
Through integration with ZTR Vision, SmartStart enables remote access to key performance data, including fault codes, real-time alerts, KPIs, and maintenance recommendations empowering proactive, data-driven decisions across the fleet.
Key Features
Automatically shuts down and restarts the locomotive engine by monitoring key parameters requiring no manual intervention.
Reduces fuel consumption by maintaining a lower RPM when full shutdown is unnecessary, balancing fuel savings with operational readiness.
Monitors both ambient and engine water temperature and automatically restarts the engine if temperatures fall below pre-set thresholds.
Monitors brake cylinder and, if configured, main reservoir air pressure and automatically restarts the engine when pressure drops below a threshold.
Access fault codes, performance metrics, and operational trends through ZTR Vision, enabling faster troubleshooting, data-driven maintenance.
SmartStart - Remote Monitoring & Diagnostics
SmartStart seamlessly integrates with ZTR’s advanced IoT and fleet management platform Vision, delivering even greater insights and control over locomotive operations. With SmartStart in Vision, railroads gain real-time data, predictive maintenance capabilities, and enhanced remote monitoring to maximize efficiency and cost savings.
Key Features & Benefits of SmartStart in Vision:
Provides visibility into fuel savings across your fleet, giving you the ability to quantify savings, identify inefficiencies, and make informed decisions to optimize fuel strategies.
Identify potential issues before they lead to costly failures by gaining real-time visibility into key indicators like battery health, fault codes, engine run-time patterns.
Generate EPA-compliant emissions reduction reports with detailed data on idle time, emissions loading, and geozone activity, enabling accurate tracking.
Gain a centralized view of your entire locomotive fleet, including real-time status, idle performance, fuel savings, and key operational metrics all from the online platform, Vision.
Track locomotive movement and receive alerts when units enter or exit predefined zones. Vision also enables monitoring of specific criteria within geozone.
Receive real-time alerts via text or email for critical locomotive events such as system faults, excessive battery related starts, excessive idle time, or failed restarts.
Export SmartStart data to track trends in fuel use, idle time, restart frequency, and more supporting fleet optimization, maintenance planning, and performance benchmarking.
With Vision, SmartStart delivers seamless remote monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Optional Features & Upgrades
SmartStart offers expandable technology with optional upgrades that further enhance performance.
- Operational Enhancements
Reduces battery drain during extended shutdowns by automatically disconnecting non-essential loads, helping preserve battery health and ensuring reliable engine restarts.
Prevents SmartStart-equipped locomotives in MU (multiple-unit) configurations from drawing cranking power through the trainline, reducing the risk of voltage drops or system faults and ensuring maximum starting power is available where it's needed.
Prevents shutdown if air pressure drops below safe operating levels, ensuring the locomotive remains ready for use.
Tamper-prevention controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can enable, disable, or modify SmartStart settings.
Implements smart load sequencing to ensure ditch lights remain on, turning off alongside headlights to preserve safety visibility without unnecessary battery drain.
- Fuel Optimization & Efficiency
Reduces unnecessary restarts and maximizes shutdown periods by cutting power to non-essential lighting circuits and auxiliary loads, while also offering a shutdown time delay override to extend fuel savings without compromising operational readiness.
Integrates SmartStart with Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) to maintain battery charge and cab comfort in extremely cold weather, allowing longer engine shutdown periods and delivering greater fuel savings without compromising system readiness or crew conditions.
Fuel Cost Reduction for a Class 1 Railroad
“A leading Class I railroad reduced its idle fuel consumption by 4,145 gallons of fuel per locomotive, achieving over $340,000 in annual savings with SmartStart.”
Knowledge Hub
Discover expert insights, case studies, whitepapers, and blogs that explore the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in the railway industry.
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What Our Customers Say
Partnering with ZTR has been a game-changer for our operations. Their innovative solutions have significantly improved our fleet efficiency and reduced costs. We couldn’t ask for a better technology partner.
Class 1 Railroad
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