1. Reducing Idling Locomotives Emissions
Jessica Montañez and Matthew Mahler
NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Department of Air Quality

2. Agenda Railroads Basic Information North Carolina Railways Data
Idling Reduction Technologies
Funding Resources
Examples of Partnerships or Collaborative
Acknowledgments

3. What is a Railroad Switching Yard?
A place where a diesel railroad locomotive that has seen its better days on the mainline is used for the assembly of trains.
The “old” diesel railroad locomotive is used to attach and detach rail cars and position them in sequence to travel to different sites.
Place where “switch” locomotives are left idling.
CN S4s 8193 and 8192 switch cars.
©Pat and David Othen

4. Why do Locomotives Idle?
Locomotives are left idling when operators:
Wait for further instructions, work assignments or orders
Need to keep engine warm to be sure that:
Water and fuel doesn’t freeze,
Antifreeze generally not used
Oil doesn’t become stiff for cranking
The engine starts (below 40°F)
Battery charge is maintained
Need heating or cooling for their cab
Need to heat toilet water
Provide power for other systems
Are used to do this operation

5. Why don’t Locomotives Use Antifreeze?
Can damage bearings in large diesel engines
Would reduce horse power output because water:
Is a better heat transfer fluid
Allows 20% smaller radiators
May leak, impacting the environment

6. locomotives and marine overall mobile sources
Why is Idling a Problem?
Idling:
Increases overall transportation costs by increasing:
Fuel consumption
Lubricating oil consumption
Engine wear
Generates unnecessary diesel emissions and noise
Diesel emissions contribute to unhealthy levels of:
Particulate Matter - PM (respiratory and cardiovascular diseases)
Nitrogen Oxides – NOx (respiratory diseases)
Long-duration locomotive switcher idling emits 12,000 tons of NOx and 500 tons PM annually (EPA estimate)
Without new controls,
EPA estimates
that by 2030,
locomotives and marine
diesel engines will
contribute
27% of the NOx
and 45% of the PM2.5
overall mobile sources
emissions.

7. Why its Idling a Problem? (cont.)
Some statistics and information:
Class I railroads represent the largest number
of locomotives in the country. There are about 20,000 Class I
locomotive engines and, of this number, about 5,000 are switchers.
(EPA estimate)
The time of maximum carbon accumulation
is when locomotives are idling or operating
at minimum power output. The time of maximum carbon
ejection is when prower is applied after a period of idling.
(Railroad Fire Prevention Guide)
Locomotive switchers idling
consumes 60 million gallons
of diesel fuel annually.
(EPA estimate)
Idling engines will burn
3 to 4 gallons of fuel
per hour. (EPA estimate)
Switchers idle about 60% of total
engine operating time – about 2,500
to 3,000 hours per year. (EPA estimate)

8. Idling Percentages by Notch
Information from: Reduction of Impacts from Locomotive Idling, Railroad Environmental Conference, Urbana, IL (November 2003)

9. EPA Rules
Emission Regulations for Railroad Locomotives – December 17, 1997
Introduced Tier 0 to Tier 2 emission standards for NOx, HC, CO, PM and smoke for newly manufactured and remanufactured railroad locomotives and locomotive engines
Tier 0 – apply to locomotives and locomotive engines originally manufactured from 1973 through 2001, any time they are manufactured or remanufactured
Tier 1 – apply to locomotives and locomotive engines originally manufactured from 2002 through 2004 – required to meet standard at time of manufacture and each subsequent remanufacture
Tier 2 – apply to locomotives and locomotive engines originally manufactured after 2005 and later – required to meet standard at time of manufacture and each subsequent remanufacture
Standards are met through engine design methods, without the use of exhaust gas after-treatment
The regulation contains several other provisions: production line testing (PLT) program, in-use compliance testing, as well as averaging, banking and trading (ABT) of emissions

10. EPA Rules Exhaust Emission Standards for Locomotives
Tier and duty-cycle
Gaseous and
Particle Emissions (g/bhp-hr)
HC1 CO
NOx PM
Tier 0 line-haul duty-cycle
1.00
5.0
9.5
0.60
Tier 0 switch duty-cycle
2.10
8.0
14.0
0.72
Tier 1 line-haul duty-cycle
0.55
2.2
7.4
0.45
Tier 1 switch duty-cycle
1.20
2.5
11.0
0.54
Tier 2 line-haul duty-cycle
0.30
1.5
5.5
0.20
Tier 2 switch duty-cycle
2.4
8.1
0.24
Smoke Standards for Locomotives
(percent opacity – normalized)
Steady-state
30-sec peak
3-sec peak
Tier 0 30 40 50
Tier 1 25
Tier 2 20
1HC standards are in the form of THC for diesel, bio-diesel, or any combination of fuels with diesel as the primary fuel

11. EPA Rules Clean Air Non-road Diesel Rule – May 11, 2004
Exhaust emissions and fuel standards
Emissions standards do not apply to locomotives and marine vessels
Fuel standards (locomotives and marine vessels):
500 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur starting in 2007
15 ppm of sulfur starting in 2012
Clean Diesel Program for Locomotives and Engines - May 11, 2004
EPA is considering emission standards:
based on the application of high-efficiency catalytic after treatment
enabled by the availability of clean diesel fuel (sulfur content, 15 ppm)
EPA expects to reduce NOx and PM levels by about 90%

12. (excluding trackage rights)
Miles of Railroad in NC
(excluding trackage rights)
3,253 miles

13. North Carolina Railroads*
*Best information to date

14. NC Switchyards Locations*
Apex - CSX
Asheville – NS
Bostic - CSX
Charlotte - CSX
Chocowintiy - NS
Durham (2) - CSX and NS
Eastbrook - CSX
East Marion - CSX
Ecusta (Pisgah Forest) - NS
Fayeteville - CSX
Fort Bragg – US Military RR
Fuquay-Varina - NS
Goldsboro (2) - NS and CSX
Greenville - CSX
Hamlet - CSX (Major Facility)
Leland – CSX
Linwood - NS (Major Facility)
Monroe - CSX
Morehead City – NS/State Ports Authority – Carolina Rail Services
New Bern - NS
Raleigh (3) – CSX, NS and NCDOT
Roanoke Rapids - CSX
Rocky Mount - CSX (Major Facility)
Southport - US Military RR, Sunny Point Army Ocean Terminal
Wilmington – States Ports Authority – Carolina Rail Services
*Best information to date

15. EPA Listed Idling Reduction Technologies
Technology that allows engine operators to refrain from long-duration idling of the main propulsion engine by using an alternative technology.
Examples:
Automatic Engine Start-Stop Control (AESS)
Auxiliary Power Unit (APU)
Diesel-driven heating system (DDHS)
Benefits:
Fuel, Oil and Engine Maintenance Savings
Emissions Reductions

16. Automatic Engine Start-Stop Control (AESS)
Turns the main engine off or on after a set parameter is out of range
water temperature
brake pressure
battery charge and
idling time
No operator intervention required
Advantage:
Can reduce idling by up to 70% for a switcher
Disadvantage of AESS:
Starter motor may wear out faster
Comment:
If ambient temperature below 40 F - the engine stays on; thus greatest savings occur in warm climates
Most widely used AESS:
ZTR “SmartStart”

17. “ZTR – Smart Start”
Monitors existing conditions against a preprogrammed set of values
Reverser and throttle position
Air brake cylinder pressure
Engine coolant, ambient air and water temperature
Restarts engine if water temperature drops to 100F (alarm sounds to warn about restart)
Battery voltage and charging amperage
Additional Costs:
Installation – Man hours (about $2,500)
No maintenance costs other than replacing a battery. There are no moving parts.
Cost: $9,000

18. Auxiliary Power Units (APU)
Shut off and restart the main engine and supply heat for:
the water (including the toilet) oil, coolant and the cab
No operator intervention required
They also can:
Maintain brake air pressure
Keep batteries charged
Optional:
May supply 60 Hz electric power for air conditioning (optional) and for cost-effective reliable appliances, lighting and communication
Advantages:
Can be installed behind main engine, or on the walkway, if space is tight
Reduces one overhaul for the life of the engine (average life: 30 years)
Disadvantages:
More costly than AESS, but provide additional services and greater fuel savings
Comment:
Operate well even down to -30º F in Alaska (a year-round system)
Most widely used APU’s:
EcoTrans K-9 and DDHS

19. EcoTrans K-9 APU
System protects the main locomotive engine during shutdown times
Monitors and maintains the lube oil and water temperatures
Starts and stops based on inputs from water temp.
Optional Products (not provided by EcoTrans):
110/220 house current for cab heating and air conditioning (requires additional products) - $12-15K
Additional costs:
Hose/wiring kit: $1,100 – free for first unit
Maintenance costs are generally low and occur:
every 6 months for replacement of 4 filters
every 12 months for air filter replacement
every 2 years for the replacement of belts, to drain oil and other actions.
Cost:
$23,000 - $25,000

20. Kim Hotstart - APU Diesel Driven Heating Systems (DDHS)
Allows an idling locomotive to be shut-down by:
heating the locomotive engine water, oil and coolant (if any)
charging the batteries
powering the cab heaters
Small enough to install on the walkway of a switcher or inside the car body where space allows.
Can be linked to the ZTR Smart Start system
Additional costs:
Installation Kit: pluming, wiring, tubing and brackets
Minimal maintenance costs: filters, oil, alternator brushes
No major overhauls registered yet for DDHS’
Cost: $30,000

21. Usually used in combination
What are the Main Differences between the Start-Stop Systems and the APU’s (include DDHS)?
Start-Stop
Starts and stops the engine only
No heat provided
APU
Starts and stops the engine
Provides:
Heat
Cab Comfort
Most popular APU:
DDHS
Older units don’t start and stop the engine, but newer units do
Start-Stop and DDHS:
Usually used in combination

22. Other Available Technologies
Locomotive Shore Power
Plugs locomotive into an external power source of three-phase AC
Circulates the locomotive coolant and oil
Can be linked to the the ZTR SmartStart System
Optional:
Charges the batteries
Advantages
Proven Technology
1st installation in 1965, over 2,000 installations
Low Maintenance
Disadvantage
Have to park near external power source to shutdown
Cost:
$4,000 - $14,000

23. Other Available Technologies
Hybrid switcher locomotive – Manufacturer: RailPower
Battery-diesel hybrid switcher - The Green Goat
Currently, replaces 1, HP yard switchers:
300 HP diesel genset engine (standard)
It NEVER idles. The genset only runs to recharge batteries.
When the switcher is not working a small heater runs to keep the genset engine warm.
sealed Pb-acid batteries expected to last a minimum of years - kept at 80% state-of-charge
Battery warranty program for first 5 years
Advantages:
Does more work with 30+% better tractive effort
Cut NOx and dangerous PM by 80-90%
Road/branchline switchers will cut fuel use by 35%
Ultra quiet
Comment:
Road/branchline long-range variants for 2006
Cost:
$750K on old
locomotive bed

24. Other Available Technologies
Low Emission Idle system (LEI) – Manufacturer: Energy Conversions Inc.
Alternating bank idle system
Runs the engine on half of its cylinders when the engine is at idle or low RPM
Can be installed on EMD engines and GE FDL engines
Advantages:
Non-firing cylinders place additional load on the engine and cause the firing cylinders to burn diesel fuel more efficiently
Can be used on diesel and natural gas combustion engines.
Additional Costs:
Installation Man Hours – 2
Maintenance: lubrication of the air cylinders
Cost:
$6,000

25. Idling Reduction Technologies Payback Times*
System
Energy Savings (gal/d)
Annual Savings ($1000s)
Cost
($1000s)
Payback Time (months)
Start/stop 36 15
7.5-15
6-12
APU or DDHS 60 25
25-40
12-17
Plug-in 50 19
4-12
3-11
Green Goat
291
122
200 20
Basis: GP38-2 with EPA switcher cycle for all technologies, 330 d/y, 50% idle replacement by AESS (will be less in cold climate), 90% by APU, DDHS or plug-in unit, 0.05 gal oil used/gal fuel, $0.10/KWh
Caveats:
Energy savings depend on climate, duty cycle and locomotive type.
*Costs depend on vendor and options included. Updated prices, when available, are included in the previous slides.
Information from: Reduction of Impacts from Locomotive Idling, Railroad Environmental Conference, Urbana, IL (November 2003)

26. Idling Reduction Technologies Comparison Summary
System
Reduction in Energy Use and Emissions
Working Noise
Non-working Noise
Advantages/
Disadvantages
Idling
None
Noisy
----
Start/stop
Minimum
Alternates noisy/silent
No cab comfort,
Minimal benefit in winter
APU or DDHS
Good
Silent
Anywhere, any time; APU supplies all services
Plug-in
Requires equipped location
Hybrid
Maximum
Quiet
Switcher only
Information from: Reduction of Impacts from Locomotive Idling, Railroad Environmental Conference, Urbana, IL (November 2003)

27. Funding Resources
North Carolina Mobile Source Emissions Reduction Grants
Purpose: To achieve actual reductions from on- and off- road mobile source related emissions in NC and assist the State in maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for primarily ozone and carbon monoxide
Funding for these grants is provided by a tax of 1/64 of a cent per gallon of gasoline sold
Project must emphasize mobile source emissions reduction, (i.e. particulates, hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for a new project
Project must emphasize actual emission reductions as opposed to planning - grant holders must report back to DENR on actual benefits of completed project
No matching funds required
More information at:
Application Deadline: Fall 2005

28. Funding Resources
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)
Funds transportation projects and programs to help achieve and maintain NAAQS for Ozone, CO, and PM-10
Jointly administered by the FHWA and FTA in consultation with EPA
Must be used in non-attainment or maintenance areas – if there are any. If not, can be used anywhere in the State
Must be a transportation project and demonstrate emissions reductions
Must be creditable under the transportation conformity process
20% match is required – higher is encouraged. Must be non-Federal funding.
More information at:
Application Deadline: Spring 2006 (2005 deadline passed)

29. Examples of Partnerships or Collaboratives
EPA SmartWay
voluntary partnership between various freight industry sectors and EPA that establishes incentives for fuel efficiency improvements and greenhouse gas emissions reductions
Three primary components of the program:
Creating Partnerships
Establishing the National Transportation Idle-Free Corridors Program
Maximizing Rail Efficiency and Intermodal Operations
More information at:

30. Examples of Partnerships or Collaboratives
West Coast Collaborative
Partnership between leaders from federal, state, and local government, the private sector, and environmental groups in California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington, Alaska, British Columbia and Mexico
Goal: To leverage significant federal funds to reduce emissions from the most polluting diesel sources in the most affected communities and to significantly improve air quality and public health
To establish the goal the collaborative:
raises awareness of the need for diesel emissions reductions projects
creates a forum for information sharing among diesel emissions reductions advocates
works to leverage significant new resources to expand voluntary diesel emissions reductions efforts
implements projects that are regional in scope and achieve measurable emissions reductions
More information at:

31. Acknowledgements
EPA
Michelle Roos
DOE
Linda Gaines
NCDOT
Alan Paul