Union Pacific Railroad has unveiled the first of 60 new ultra-low emission diesel locomotives it'll soon be using in its Los Angeles Basin rail yards.

The new 2,100-horsepower locomotives are called “Generator-Set,” or “Genset” switchers. Each locomotive is powered by three 700-horsepower ultra-low emission diesel engines projected to reduce emissions of both nitrous oxides and particulate matter by up to 80 percent, while using as much as 16 percent less fuel.

Union Pacific began studies and tests of the prototype Genset switcher locomotive in 2002.

The new locomotives will be used to sort rail cars for outbound trains and will replace many of the 95 older low-horsepower locomotives currently being used.

The 60 new low-horsepower locomotives will be delivered over the next six months from the manufacturer, National Railway Equipment Co., headquartered in Mt. Vernon, Ill.

Union Pacific is also testing an environmentally friendly low-horsepower rail yard locomotive based on diesel-battery hybrid technology. Nicknamed the "Green Goat," the locomotive is powered with large banks of batteries. When energy stored in the batteries is depleted to a pre-set level, a small, low-emission diesel engine automatically starts to power a generator that recharges the batteries.

The ultra-low emissions of these locomotives will help Union Pacific meet its commitment to CARB to reduce its fleet average nitrous oxide emissions inside the South Coast Nonattainment Area by 2010, the company said.

Union Pacific is also testing two types of “aftermarket” technologies to determine if they reduce emissions in older locomotives.

Union Pacific Railroad links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country and serves the fastest-growing U.S. population centers. Union Pacific connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico.