WSOR joins the U.S. railroad industry to elevate the importance of environmentally-friendly forms of freight transportation. Although railroads continue to lead in environmental preservation, WSOR is dedicated to reaching even greater achievements in areas such as increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Click the links above to see how WSOR is committed to the long haul, addressing today and tomorrow’s environmental concerns.
"Balancing the importance of our nation’s economy with the absolute need to protect our natural resources for future generations is a welcoming challenge to the WSOR. With the commitment of railway employees, contractors, customers, public government and elected officials, the industry will be one step further towards being the most environmentally-friendly form of transportation around."
William E. Gardner, president and Chief Executive Officer
Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.
WHAT IF?
What would happen IF: A 25 percent shift of freight from road-bound trucks to rail occurred in urban areas throughout the U.S. by 2026? By removing the trucks from roads, On average, it would:
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Save each commuter 41 hours a year |
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Save $985 in congestion costs per commuter each year |
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Save each commuter 79 gallons of fuel each year |
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Reduce air pollution by nearly 920,500 tons each year |
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ENVIRONMENTAL FACTS
Today’s freight trains carry nearly 43 percent of our nation’s long distance freight, and are the most energy-efficient way to move large volume products that Americans use every day – from lumber to toothpaste, coal to plastic, salt to sugar, and other household items. The facts at right highlight why railroads are one of the most environmentally friendly modes of freight transportation around.
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Today’s trains can haul 1 ton of freight 436 miles on just one gallon of diesel fuel (up from 235 miles per gallon in 1980) |
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For every 27 gallons of diesel consumed by trucks to haul one ton of freight, railroads burn 7 gallons to reach a similar distance making railroads almost four times more fuel efficient than trucks |
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If just 10 percent of the long-distance freight moving by truck today were shifted to rail, national fuel savings would exceed one billion gallons a year |
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Since 1980, freight railroads have become 80 percent more energy-efficient, reducing their fuel consumption by 48 billion gallons |
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In 2008, railroads moved almost twice as much freight as they did in 1980 – while consuming the same amount of fuel |
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According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a typical truck emits roughly three times more oxides of nitrogen and particulates per ton mile than a locomotive |
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One 100-car train can take nearly 400 trucks off our state and local roadway networks |
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