"To us, partnering with a company that can work with us regularly on maintenance and evolving our coaches is very important,” said Corey Donovan, general manager, Columbia Icefield. “Before the rebuilds, the Ice Explorer engines would idle on the glacier to maintain heat in the passenger cabin. By eliminating the need to idle, we minimize our impact on the environment and improve our guests’ experience on the glacier."
The mtu Series 1000 engines used in the upgrade on the Ice Explorers not only meet Tier 4 standards but also deliver significantly lower fuel consumption than previous model engines and are built to ensure continuous operation.
The Series 1000 engines also do not require diesel particulate filters (DPF), which results in less operational downtime. They are equipped with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) that are capable of removing more than 90 percent of the nitrogen oxides from exhaust gas and significantly reduces particulate emissions.
The operators of the updated coaches are finding these much easier to drive and quieter in operation.
"The quieter engine and the new silent braking system add to the passenger experience by removing distracting noises,” said Donovan. “Without distracting noise from an idling engine and noisy brakes, our guests are free to soak in the magic of the glacier."
