LOS ANGELES – Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains will now operate on renewable diesel fuel, the LOSSAN rail agency, which manages the service, announced Oct. 3. Renewable diesel is chemically similar to fossil diesel but made from renewable raw materials such as used cooking oil, instead of crude oil. The Pacific Surfliner operates between San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo, Calif. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the U.S.
Compared to fossil diesel, renewable diesel significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 63% throughout its lifecycle, the agency says. The adoption of renewable diesel is the result of a collaborative effort that includes the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Amtrak, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, and other partners.
The Pacific Surfliner currently operates with Amtrak’s Siemens Charger locomotives, the first passenger locomotive to receive the stringent Tier IV emissions certification from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority overseeing the management of the Pacific Surfliner service. For more information, visit Lossan.org.
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