CSX commits to rail emission reductions

CSX commits to rail emission reductions    CSX Transportation on Monday announced a plan to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with its train operations by 8 percent per revenue ton-mile by 2011.
   The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company's commitment is part of its participation in the Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders Program, a voluntary program for businesses to inventory and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
   CSX said its commitment will reduce CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tons, or the equivalent of taking 441,000 cars off the road each year, or burning about 5.6 million fewer barrels of oil.
   As part of this effort, the Class 1 railroad on the same day unveiled four ultra-low emission GenSet locomotives to switch cars full-time within its Oak Point Yard in Bronx, New York. The GenSet locomotives, which were manufactured by National Railway Equipment Co., will reduce nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions by 80 percent and can reduce CO2 emissions by about half by monitoring idling and switching to 'sleep' mode after a period of inactivity, CSX said.
   CSX has invested more than $1 billion to upgrade its locomotive fleet with technology to reduce fuel consumption and air pollution. Through these efforts, the company said it has improved its fuel efficiency by about 80 percent since 1980. By the end of 2009, an additional 1,200 CSX locomotives will be upgraded to further reduce emissions and lower fuel consumption by nearly 10 million gallons.
   In its non-railroad operations, CSX plans to use building space more efficiently by:
   ' Improving heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
   ' Installing energy-efficient lighting and automatic computer-shutdown software.