At BNSF, we are constantly striving to improve our environmental performance. We want to highlight a few examples from our recent sustainability report. Did you know:
- Freight rail relieves urban traffic congestion and reduces carbon and other emissions. In fact, BNSF customers reduced their collective carbon footprint by 34 million metric tons in 2015, equal to removing the emissions produced by seven million cars in a year.
- We have the newest and cleanest locomotive fleet in North America, with roughly 40 percent of our locomotives purchased as new in the past 10 years. This has contributed to an approximate 12 percent efficiency improvement in that same period.
- More than 2,000 wayside detectors installed across the BNSF network collect data 24/7 year-round, alerting us to potential safety issues such as high-impact wheels, overheated bearings and damaged or worn components. BNSF is developing a system to leverage this data to proactively predict issues before they occur. Predictive maintenance will allow sufficient time for intervention and prevent incidents from occurring.
- We’re the first U.S. rail carrier to use widespan electric cranes, which produce zero emissions on-site and significantly reduce the number of trucks needed to move containers in the rail yard. They also generate electricity when lowering a container or trailer, which recharges internal batteries and conserves electricity. These cranes are in use at BNSF intermodal facilities in Seattle.
- More than 95 percent of our locomotives are equipped with automatic engine start/stop devices, which shut down locomotives to prevent unnecessary idling. These devices help reduce yearly fuel usage by thousands of gallons for each locomotive.
