INDUSTRY ISSUES >> ENVIRONMENT
Environment
Are short line and regional railways good for your health?
Railways are part of the solution to society's environmental concerns. Existing railway rights-of-way have the ability to move large volumes of freight and passengers without taking up more land. In addition, railways are inherently more energy efficient than road vehicles because of the low friction characteristics of the steel wheel on steel rail.
The option of adding a second track on existing railway rights-of-way is an alternative to expropriating large amounts of land to build new highways.
The industry continues to improve its fuel efficiency and the reduction of harmful emissions. Since 1975, greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 33% for every 1,000 ton-miles of freight traffic. In other words, Canadian railway traffic grew from 139 billion net ton-miles (NTM) in 1975 to over 203 billion NTM in 1998 while greenhouse gas emissions remained at the 1975 level. This remarkable performance means that the railway industry increased its work level by approximately 50% over the past quarter century while holding its air emissions constant.
Smog in major urban areas is a growing problem and one class of the gases that contributes to this problem is oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The railway industry voluntarily agreed to limits its national output of NOx to 115 kilotonnes per year while assuming that there would be annual traffic growth of 1%. This target has been maintained despite traffic growth of approximately 1.9% over the past decade.
These outstanding results have required considerable capital investment by all railways including SL/RRs. To continue these improvements, both research and development and continued capital investment will be required. The SL/RR's are prepared to continue its investment into new energy-efficient technology. This investment would be facilitated by changes in government taxation policy, particularly the Capital Cost Allowance on railway equipment, to bring it in line with other modes of transport in Canada and the U.S.
COPYRIGHT 2002 ASSOCIATION OF REGIONAL RAILWAYS OF CANADA.
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NOVEMBER 17, 2005
Short Lines to Receive Funding for New Environmentally Friendly Projects under the Freight Incentives Program
MAY 20, 2004
Freight Sustainability Projects Announced
MAY 18, 2004
Federal Government Commits to Solving Railway Noise Problems
MAY 12, 2004
Transport Canada Releases 2003 Annual Report
APRIL 23, 2004
Government of Canada announces Freight Efficiency Program
FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Transport Canada's Vision for Transportation Supports Passenger and Commuter Rail
FEBRUARY 27, 2003
Short Lines Need Further Consideration in Transport Canada's Vision for Transportation
AUGUST 1, 2002
ARRC Joins Dangerous Goods Council
APRIL 25, 2002
ARRC Launches New Website
MARCH 4, 2002
Presentation to the Transportation Development Centre Locomotive Emissions Workshop, Montreal, QC, March 4, 2002
FEBRUARY 3, 2002
ARRC's Submission to Transport Canada for the Blueprint Initiative
SEPTEMBER 20, 2001
The formation of ARRC announced
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