On Monday, CSX Transportation unveiled four new ultra-low emission locomotives for exclusive operation at its Oak Point Yard in the heart of the South Bronx, a neighborhood long plagued by high asthma hospitalization rates, poor air quality, and disproportionate amounts of truck traffic.

The new engines, known as GenSet, were retrofitted to existing rail cars and will be used to switch cars within the Yard.  GenSet technology monitors engine idling and automatically shuts off when the train is not being used for a period of time. The locomotives will reduce nitrous oxide and particulate emissions by 80 percent and carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent.

Using federal Congestion, Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement dollars awarded to New York State, CSX will replace more polluting switch cars with these greener – and quieter – alternatives.  The GenSets will be in operation immediately.

At the unveiling, Congressman Jerry Nadler and Congressman José Serrano praised the company for its latest environmental achievement.   (CSX has also improved fuel efficiency by 80 percent since 1980 and has a recycling program).

Congressman Nadler, a longtime rail freight proponent and strong advocate of the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel, highlighted the environmental benefits of rail freight for our region.  Congressman Serrano, whose district encompasses the South Bronx, praised the benefits to the area from CSX’s green investment, acknowledging the company’s role in removing thousands of diesel trucks from local streets each year.   Today, 16,000 trucks make their way through Oak Point each year, even with existing rail freight.

CSX is a relatively unknown fixture in the Bronx community, despite its environmental significance.  According to CSX, a single train carries the same load as 280 trucks.  That means fewer trucks spewing pollutants from diesel exhaust.

The GenSet locomotives were the result of a public-private partnership that will yield not only environmental, but also economic benefits to the surrounding community.  In addition to the pollution reduction, CSX creates and maintains jobs, having employed more than 2,000 people in NY by the end of 2008.