(The Associated Press circulated the following article by Eric Olsen on February 27.)
OMAHA, Neb. — Union Pacific Railroad has unveiled a systemwide program that will reward locomotive engineers who conserve the most diesel fuel.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta lauded the Fuel Masters Program for serving as an example of the efforts needed to meet President Bush’s goal of reducing oil imports by more than 75 percent by 2025.
Fuel-saving techniques were demonstrated to Mineta last week as he rode in a locomotive from the western edge of Omaha to downtown.
“If putting transportation on an energy diet while continuing to support a growing economy sounds like a big challenge, it is,” Mineta said. “Here at Union Pacific and across the country, innovative transportation industries and providers are coming up with creative ideas to use less energy but still keep America moving.”
The Fuel Master’s Program compares engineers’ fuel consumption performance against fellow engineers in the same territory. A two-month snapshot of each engineer’s fuel consumption is used to calculate individual average consumption rates. Each month, engineers in the top 15 to 20 percent of each territory where Union Pacific operates are awarded fuel cards valued at $100 that can be used to purchase gasoline for their personal vehicles.
Union Pacific uses an estimated 3.25 million gallons of diesel a day, making it the world’s largest consumer of diesel, Mineta said.
In 2005, the Fuel Masters pilot program saved more than 16 million gallons of diesel and $30 million for U.P., the company said.
Union Pacific president and CEO Jim Young said the program was started as an employee-driven initiative.
Minor adjustments in operating the locomotive can result in major fuel savings. Many of the practices are common sense and are the same as those used by automobile drivers.
Some examples, according to Marysville, Kan., engineer Michael Zimmerman:
— Starting gradually from a stop instead of making a “jackrabbit” start.
— Throttling down and letting the momentum move the train when there is congestion ahead on the track. This can help the engineer avoid having to come to a complete stop if he runs up on a traffic jam. Zimmerman said it takes 50 gallons to start a train moving from a standstill.
— If there are short stretches of higher speed limits, maintain the lower speed.