Report: Caltrain reduces GHG emissions by 44 percent

Rail News Home Sustainability 7/27/2020 Rail News: Sustainability
Caltrain has reduced both diesel consumption and criteria air pollutant generation by 7 percent over the last two years.Photo – Caltrain Facebook

The San Mateo County Transit District last week released its 2019 Sustainability Report, outlining Caltrain's impact on the environment.

The San Francisco commuter railroad is in the process of electrifying its service and has transitioned to renewable power sources, thus reducing the agency’s net greenhouse gas emissions by 44 percent over the past two years, Caltrain officials said in press release.

Caltrain also reduced facility emissions by 71 percent, and both its diesel consumption and criteria air pollutant generation by 7 percent over the same period. 

With 96 percent of the energy consumed by Caltrain being the trains themselves, even more dramatic shifts are expected when electrified service launches in 2022, agency officials said.