(The New York & Atlantic issued the following on April 30, 2010.)
GLENDALE, N.Y. — The New York & Atlantic Railway said today that a federal grant for new equipment will help the Long Island freight carrier lower its locomotive emissions by more than one third. The new technology will reduce engine idling on its eleven-unit fleet and is expected to lower NYA’s carbon footprint by an estimated 35 percent.
NYA said, the new equipment will be paid for by NYA and funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program. The entire upgrade program will cost approximately $1 million. Work will begin as soon as the grant is finalized.
The grant culminates a three-year effort by the railway to improve air quality on its 269 route miles of line that provide regular freight service for much of Long Island.
Paul Victor, president of the NYA, said, “We would like to thank the New York State DOT, the New York Congressional delegation, and state and local officials for their support and assistance in this grant process.”
Freight rail, which is already the most environmentally friendly transportation land network, is three times more fuel-efficient than trucks, while carrying three-to-four times more freight per carload.
The New York & Atlantic Railway serves more than 85 businesses along the MTA Long Island Rail Road system. NYA moves more than 18,000 carloads annually, which improves air quality and reduces congestion by taking more than 144,000 trucks off local highways.
The New York & Atlantic is an affiliate of Anacostia & Pacific Company, Inc. (www.anacostia.com), a rail development and consulting firm.