Environmental Leader

Amtrak has pledged to reduce its emissions from diesel locomotives by six percent from 2003 through 2010, as part of its recent decision to join the Carbon Registry.

As part of its commitment to measure emissions, Amtrak is adopting comprehensive reporting standards for recording and managing greenhouse gas emissions throughout its system including those from diesel and electric locomotives, passenger rail cars, maintenance equipment, stations, offices and other facilities, according to a press release.

To help it keep score and provide a level of transparency, Amtrak joined Climate Counts, which uses has a scorecard to rate companies on how they measure their carbon footprint, reduce their impact on climate change, support effective climate legislation, and publicly disclose their climate actions.

In further efforts to reduce emissions, the railroad is reducing the amount of time that its diesel locomotives are idling.

In markets where Amtrak uses electric locomotives, it plans to use dynamic and regenerative braking systems to return energy to the grid.

Amtrak, which also runs vehicle carriers, is moving towards lighter and more aerodynamic carrier cars. In other news, Amtrak is adopting bio-lubricants in its hydraulic systems.

Last fall, Amtrak added solar arrays to a New Jersey facility.

The rail carrier lets passengers purchase carbon offsets from the non-profit organization Carbonfund.org and direct those funds to certified sustainable reforestation or alternative energy projects