Last fall, transportation company CSX invited Ecollo to Chicago to get a first-hand look at their GenSet Locomotives, as well to attend part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leaders conference. During the conference, CSX officially announced a partnership with the program, and now the company has announced its Climate Leaders program goals in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company's commitment to the program is the first from a major U.S. transportation provider and a natural next step from a company that already developed the GenSet, an ultra-low emitting method of freight rale that achieved an 80 per cent reduction in nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions.

Now CSX has set its sights on reducing carbon emissions by eight per cent per revenue ton mile by 2011. This will account for a carbon savings of 2.4 million tons, or the equivalent of removing 441,000 cars from the road on an annual basis. In terms of the company's non-rail operations, goals include  using building space more efficiently, improving HVAC systems and installing energy-efficient lighting and automatic computer-shutdown software. And by the end of this year, another 1,200 CSX locomotives will feature fewer emissions and lower fuel consumption (nearly 10 million gallons worth!) thanks to ongoing upgrades.

Freight rail is considered one of the most eco-friendly ways of transporting goods, as a train can transport one tonne of goods on a single gallon of gas, a far greener option than shipping by truck or airplane.

“Freight rail is the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly surface transportation option.  We are pleased to enhance these benefits with our firm commitment to reduce CSX’s carbon footprint,” said Michael J. Ward, Chairman, President and CEO of CSX. “The Climate Leaders Partnership shows that by working together, business and government can serve our nation’s economic needs while improving our environment.”

» CSX (Official Site)

As a rule, we're a fossil fuel-loving society that is slowly trying to change. This week we examined some of the alternatives that exist to help wean us off of our dependence and get us looking toward a sustainable future.

* Burning tires for energy isn't an environmentally safe (or smart!) thing to do, who knew? CeeBee found out why.

* A trip to Chicago introduced you to CSX, a transportation company that is working toward a sustainable future, which will be accomplished with initiatives and technology such as that found in their GenSet Locomotives.

* Solar and wind power are the two most popular choices of alternative energy, but believe it or not, there are other types of power.

* Just because it's called "natural" gas doesn't necessarily make it environmentally-friendly.

* Unlike the Energizer bunny, batteries don't always keep going and going and going. Rather than replacing them with more disposable ones, consider the environmental implications of buying some rechargeable batteries instead.

* Could burning coal be clean? Not according to the book, "Burning the Future" by David Novak.

» Ecollo (Energy Alternatives)

Last week I packed my bag and headed to the Windy City with other members of the online media to hang out with transportation experts CSX, tour their eco-friendly GenSet locomotive and catch the end of the EPA Climate Leaders Conference.

While there, I had expected to witness many wind power projects in the works thanks to Chicago's reputation as the Windy City. Though it certainly was a blustery adventure, the wind energy initiatives weren't as obvious as one might think. Maybe they were all hiding with the deep dish pizza restaurants that also managed to elude me.

CSX was kind enough to take the time to provide some history of Chicago's freight rail, as well as actually showing us the inner-workings of the GenSet innovation. Finally we were able to learn more about other initiatives CSX has undertaken to make their operations more green,

Lack of pizza aside, it was a great trip and a fantastic opportunity to learn something new and see firsthand what companies are doing to minimize their environmental footprint.

» Ecollo

The GenSet Locomotive is just one way transportation company CSX is demonstrating their commitment to operating a sustainable business. Not only has the company achieved an impressive 80 per cent improvement in efficiency with their freight rail, making it three times more efficient than other transport methods, they also actively participate in Climate Leaders, an EPA industry-government partnership that works to develop climate change strategies and assist partner companies in reducing their environmental impact. Participating in the Climate Leaders program is entirely voluntary.

Beyond their environmentally-conscious locomotives, CSX also recycles upwards of three million railroad cross ties each year, collecting and shredding the hard wood. They are currently exploring the possibility of burning the wood for electricity onsite, which would be put right back on the grid. Approximately two million gallons of oil used by company locomotives is recycled each year, and later used to heat buildings. With over 34,000 employees and a freight system that extends across 23 states, CSX has also implemented energy-efficient lighting and heating in their buildings and even recycles the water consumed by their facilities. In the future as technology continues to evolve, the company is also exploring the possibility of using solar energy to power their facilities.

However the company's biggest eco-friendly initiative is their constant drive for improved fuel efficiency through projects such as the GenSets. By reducing fuel consumption, the company is able to save money while being environmentally conscious. Or as one company representative put it, "The safer and more efficient we are, the more financially successful we are."

The initiatives aren't just driven by the company, but by their customers. In response to shippers inquiring about their environmental impact, CSX developed a carbon calculator meant to help compare estimated carbon emissions of transport and visibly show the difference choosing rail can make.

To learn more about what CSX is doing to practice environmental stewardship, visit their official site.

» CSX

Now that you have a basic rundown of Chicago's rail history and the environmental importance of freight rail, you'll hopefully have more appreciation for the main purpose behind my recent trip to the Windy City. CSX introduced their GenSet Locomotives earlier this year and invited members of the online media to see firsthand why their development is so innovative.

GenSet Locomotives have been certified as ultra-low emitting, as outlined by EPA standards. In fact, CSX has managed to achieve an 80 per cent reduction in nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions. Rather than using one large diesel locomotive engine, the GenSet uses three 700-horsepower engines. The locomotive uses the three engines when required, however will automatically shut down the engines that are not required, thus efficiently conserving fuel . The same way your computer goes into standby mode when it remains inactive for a prolonged period, the GenSet enters "sleep" mode after a certain length of inactivity to eliminate the environmental unfriendliness of idling. The engines can also be turned on as quickly as that of a truck, further eliminating the need to leave the engines running when unnecessary. The maintenance requirements have even been reduced by as much as 35 per cent thanks to the engine load sharing system. The GenSets also address the issue of noise pollution and are substantially quieter than traditional locomotives. 

The GenSet Locomotives are actually former diesel locomotives that have been retrofitted with the new technology. Because they aren't as powerful as their single-engine brothers, the GenSets are currently used locally to switch cars within rail yards. CSX currently has two GenSet locomotives being used in their Dearborn, Michigan rail yard, and have plans to add another four GenSet Locomotives come 2009.

These particular locomotives may not be making the cross-country trek carrying a load of Nintendo Wiis - yet. However CSX is alway working on new technological advancements that will likely make this a reality one day soon. Given the existing eco-friendly nature of freight rail (keep in mind: one tonne of materials + one gallon of fuel = over 400 miles per gallon!), the GenSets sort of seem like icing atop of an already green cake.

» CSX

Last week's trip to Chicago wasn't all play and no work. The Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders gathered for their annual conference in the city, and transportation company CSX, one of the sponsors of the three-day event, invited some members of the online media to the Windy City to tour an eco-friendly locomotive they've developed, to learn more about what the company as a whole is doing to reduce their environmental footprint, and to attend final day of the conference.

Rather than diving straight into the locomotive tour (tune in for that tomorrow!), I'm going to make you work for it first since understanding the significance of freight rail is paramount to appreciating the forward thinking of these CSX initiatives.

Freight rail and Chicago
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 freight trains and 700 passenger trains (with a total of about 37,500 freight cars) pass through Chicago every day, making it the largest rail hub in the U.S. Chicago's railroads operated independently from one another until a major snowstorm in 2000 buried the city and it took approximately four months to dig themselves out of the mess. Such an extensive hold-up made it apparent that the railroads needed to be connected from that point on, and a central office was established.

A $1.5-billion project known as CREATE has been established to help prepare the city for the flux in the freight rail industry - expected to double in the next 20 years - and allows for the city and state to take advantage of the prospective 17,000 jobs and $2 billion in annual economic production the growth is expected to create.

Freight rail and the environment
You may find it hard to believe, but a train can transport one tonne of goods for over 400 miles on one gallon of gas. Yes, you read that correctly: a train is more fuel efficient than the Prius you've proudly parked in your driveway. Rail transport can also take more than 200 trucks off of the highway. Obviously you probably aren't expecting to see a freight train pull up in front of your local Wal-Mart with a product delivery. That's where intermodal transport come in, a method that involves multiple forms of transportation used to haul freight. In the case of rail travel, a train will share transporting duties with trucks. An intermodal rail yard, such as the one I visited in Chicago, will see massive straddle cranes lift one box from a flat-bed truck approximately every two minutes and load it onto a train. These are (not surprisingly) known as "lifts," and this particular yard is responsible for completing 250,000 of them each year.

EPA figures suggest that using rail transport emits three times less nitrogen oxide and particulate per ton-miles than trucks, and that redirecting just 10 per cent of long-haul freight to rail from truck to train could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12 million tonnes.

Typically the consumer goods transported have been limited to non-perishable items, however technology is constantly improving and a CSX freight train recently carried a load of apples from Washington state to New York.

Freight rail and you
The freight being carried on these trains ranges in everything from the brand new 42-inch Plasma television set you just mounted on your living room wall to the pair of jeans you picked up on sale last week. Goods relating to alternative fuel and energy, such as biofuels and wind turbines are also hauled via rail transport. And yes, as of lately, fresh produce is hitting the tracks. We often encourage purchasing locally-made products when possible, but obviously recognize that not every consumer good will be available through a local producer. In that case, finding the most environmentally-conscious method of shipping is key. As one CSX representative pointed out, "When products come fomr overseas and offshore, someone has to make it work domestically."

Continuous developments may mean the items we purchase every day have less of an environmental impact in the future thanks to rail transport.

» CSX