Tighter emisions standards and Amtrak

[Joel N. Weber II]

One of the big news stories today has been that the EPA has decided that greenhouse gas emissions are a problem that needs to be dealt with.

Here's one news story on the subject.

Are we likely to see some or all of Amtrak's diesel routes electrified as part of cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions? If so, how quickly is this likely to happen?

 

[Dakguy201]

The only diesel route I can think of that is owned by Amtrak is a portion of the Chicago/Michigan runs. The issue of electrification is essentially in the hands of the host railroad, not Amtrak.

 

[AlanB]

Well in addition to being grandfathered in, most locomotives that Amtrak has are already greener than most cars and all diesel trucks on the road. Not to mention that even if Amtrak fired up everyone of it's 319 locomotives at once, soon to be 334 with the restored P40's, they still wouldn't be putting out all that much in the way of pollution. Especially when compared to say all the trucks moving within Boston during a one hour period.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

Not to mention that even if Amtrak fired up everyone of it's 319 locomotives at once, soon to be 334 with the restored P40's, they still wouldn't be putting out all that much in the way of pollution.

If you're going to make that argument, then every single family that operates single occupancy vehicles can argue that the total amount of polution put out by their handful of single occupancy vehicles is insignificant. I'm pretty sure the EPA is going to at least want some changes in the single occupancy vehicles sold in the future, even those sold to small families. You probably need to be looking at the railroad totals, or at least including the commuter ops.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

The only diesel route I can think of that is owned by Amtrak is a portion of the Chicago/Michigan runs. The issue of electrification is essentially in the hands of the host railroad, not Amtrak.

Amtrak owns the New Haven CT to Springfield MA tracks (and the Springfield to CT border tracks are the only Amtrak owned tracks in Massachusetts), which once were electrified, and some of the support poles for the former catenary are apparently still present, but that's a diesel route these days.

 

[AlanB]

Not to mention that even if Amtrak fired up everyone of it's 319 locomotives at once, soon to be 334 with the restored P40's, they still wouldn't be putting out all that much in the way of pollution.

If you're going to make that argument, then every single family that operates single occupancy vehicles can argue that the total amount of polution put out by their handful of single occupancy vehicles is insignificant. I'm pretty sure the EPA is going to at least want some changes in the single occupancy vehicles sold in the future, even those sold to small families. You probably need to be looking at the railroad totals, or at least including the commuter ops.

And just like those cars, Amtrak's engines will be grandfathered in. However, unlike the cars, train engine builders are already ahead of the curve with Tier II emission requirements, so any new locos that Amtrak buys will probably fit the bill. And I believe the the builders are already working on designs that exceed even Tier II.