The locomotives are compliant with the EPA's Tier 4 emissions standards requirements for non-road diesel engines.

In 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency ordered that by 2015, all new non-road engines, like those used in locomotives needed to meet the stringent Tier 4 standard: no more than 1.3 grams of NOx per brake horsepower-hour and 0.03 g/bhp-hr of particulates.

[3]: 5  The power plant was designed not to use selective catalytic reduction, as refilling the necessary diesel exhaust fluid was deemed to be too great a challenge for use in rail yards.

[3]: 4  A used EMD GP7 switcher locomotive was used as a donor unit, stripped to its frame, repowered with the new power plants, and equipped with a new cab.

[3]: 5  The locomotive rolled off the production line in December 2012 and was delivered to the Richmond Pacific Railroad in March 2013.