RAILROADS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental protection costs are hitting the railroads at a time when finances are in a bind. The railroads, which already converted from steam to diesel power, are a relatively minor source of pollution, and in fact are a positive environmental factor since they take less land, consume less fuel, and produce less pollution than do conpetitive modes for producing transportation. Since railroads are spread out geographically, they get the impact of varying environmental regulations. Many railroads have set up environmental committees or appointed environmental officers to their staffs. The industry is working on such problems as locomotive noise, locomotive exhaust, wood crosstie disposal, passenger train human waste discharge, and water pollution. Wayside fires and brush and weed control are also problems. Railroads make a contribution to the environmental protection efforts of other areas of society by hauling low sulfur coal to power plants, by moving truck trailers on flat cars instead of over the highways, and by hauling scrap autos and other refuse.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586268
• Corporate Authors:

  Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

  P.O. Box 350
  Bristol, CT  United States  06010
• Publication Date: 1972-12-11

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 19-23
• Serial:
  • Railway Age
  • Volume: 173
  • Issue Number: 11
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
  • ISSN: 0033-8826
  • Serial URL: http://www.railwayage.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Environmental protection; Noise; Water pollution
• Subject Areas: Environment; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041143
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Railway Age
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 23 1973 12:00AM