To meet its aggressive climate targets, Metrolink launched a pilot program of renewable fuel in its locomotives in early 2021. The renewable product is made of recycled natural fats and vegetable oils. It contains no petroleum fossil fuels and thus burns cleaner reducing harmful pollutants and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 80%.
Metrolink began powering 100% of all its locomotives with renewable fuel in February.
“It’s a proud achievement to be the first rail agency in the nation to use renewable fuel to move people around southern California,” Metrolink board chair Ara Najarian said. “We are committed to continue working toward better air quality in our region and lessening our effect on climate change for the planet.”
Metrolink shares this cleaner emissions milestone as it continues to pursue zero-emissions technologies of hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric and regards renewable fuel as a bridge to zero-emissions. By reducing locomotive emissions, Metrolink is easing environmental impacts on climate change and improving air quality for all.
“This transition by Metrolink to using renewable fuel will help further reduce the air pollutants from our locomotives and improve the air quality for all the communities along our 538 miles of track,” said Metrolink board vice chair Larry McCallon, who is also a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Governing Board. “It is certainly the right thing that we needed to do for the health of our children and our quality of life.”
Metrolink is southern California’s regional passenger rail service. The agency’s 538 miles of track and 62 stations across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties serve as an essential link in the region’s mobility network. Prior to the pandemic, Metrolink had nearly 12 million annual boardings from people who choose to ride the train to avoid gridlock, removing an estimated 9.3 million vehicles from the roads and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 metric tons each year with its fleet of Tier 4 locomotives.