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California Railroad to Go ‘Green’ with Energy-Efficient Locomotive

7/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

WOODLAND, Calif. (July 9, 2009) – The California Northern Railroad (CFNR), a RailAmerica property, welcomed a new, ultra-low emitting, low-noise, fuel-efficient locomotive valued at approximately $1.6 million today. The locomotive purchase was made possible by the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Quality Standards Attainment Program, which covered 80 percent of the cost. CFNR covered the remaining 20 percent.

 

CFNR purchased the N-ViroMotive™ Gen-Set locomotive from National Railway Equipment Co. The new locomotive meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s tier-two emission standards, reduces nitrous-oxide and particulate-matter emissions by 80 percent, and allows for 35- to 50-percent average fuel savings. Fuel efficiency is enhanced by the locomotive’s monitoring system, which shuts down unneeded diesel engines. CFNR will retire the older model that the new locomotive will replace. Plans call for the locomotive to handle nearly 24,000 equivalent truckloads per year.

 

“We are excited to provide our customers with a more efficient means of transportation, while also reducing our carbon footprint,” said CFNR General Manager Don Seil. “Overall, rail is a very fuel efficient and ‘green’ transportation option when compared with other modes. One rail freight car can carry the equivalent of up to four truckloads. And, railroads consume almost a third less fuel than trucks per ton-mile moved.”

 

CFNR – which operates 250 miles of main track located in three segments of the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Napa valleys – transports a diverse mix of agricultural, food and construction products. The short-line railroad interchanges with Union Pacific Railroad at three locations, allowing products to move between points on the CFNR and other parts of the country.

 

“Short-line railroads like CFNR take the equivalent of nearly 33-million truckloads off the country’s crowded roadways,” Seil said. “This reduces congestion, makes the roads safer and lowers overall emissions.”

 

The Carl Moyer Program offers grants to owners of heavy-duty vehicles and equipment to reduce air pollution emissions in California. The program is a partnership between the California Air Resources Board and local air districts throughout the state, such as the San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality Management District, which provided the funds for CFNR’s locomotive. Grants are available to help commercial vehicle owners – including on-road, off-road, marine, locomotive, and agricultural – upgrade or replace existing equipment.

 

“Public-private partnerships such as these are real win-win propositions,” said RailAmerica Assistant Vice President, Strategic Relations Dave Arganbright. “Through this use of public funding, we are able to both reduce our carbon footprint in the communities we serve and provide more cost-effective service to our customers.”

 

About RailAmerica, Inc.

RailAmerica is a leading owner and operator of North American regional and short-line railroads. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., the company operates railroads in 27 states and three Canadian provinces, with more than 8,000 miles of track. RailAmerica is owned by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group, a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $34.3 billion in assets under management. For more information, visit www.railamerica.com and www.fortress.com.