BNSF outfits locomotives with green technology

The railroad has taken 11 locomotives in Washington and added tools to reduce idle time.    BNSF has retrofitted 11 locomotives with technology that will reduce emissions and conserve fuel.
   The railroad partnered with the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency and HOTSTART for the project, which will impact trains operating out of rail yards in Pasco and Spokane, Wash.
   The trains will now use HOTSTART’s auxiliary power units, which keep engines warm during cold weather, thus reducing idling time. BNSF also installed Automatic Engine Start-Stop systems to further reduce idle time.
   “Minimizing our impact on the planet is a key priority for all of us at BNSF, and we are always striving to incorporate new practices and technologies to help us reduce our impact,” said John Lovenburg, BNSF’s vice president of environmental.