Electrifying railways cuts black carbon exposure by 89%, study finds

Electric Trains Revolutionise California's Air Quality, Cutting Toxins By 89%

The electrification of Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area has led to a significant reduction in toxic black carbon, improving air quality for commuters and residents. The study found an average reduction of 89% in riders' exposure to black carbon

Study finds dramatic boost in air quality from electrifying railways

Switching from diesel to electric trains dramatically improved the air quality aboard the San Francisco Bay Area's Caltrain commuter rail line, reducing riders' exposure to the carcinogen black carbon by an average of 89%, finds a new study. The electrification of the system also significantly reduced the ambient black carbon concentrations within and around the San Francisco station.

Electrifying railways cuts black carbon exposure by 89%, study finds

Switching from diesel to electric trains dramatically improved the air quality aboard the San Francisco Bay Area's Caltrain commuter rail line, reducing riders' exposure to the carcinogen black carbon by an average of 89%, ...

Electrification slashed black carbon emissions from trainline

Over late Summer last year, train operator Caltrain retired all 29 diesel locomotives that worked the busy route between San Francisco and San Jose, replacing them with 23 electric trains. Professor Joshua Apte, a professor of environmental engineering and environmental health at the University of California happened to visit a Caltrain station just as the changeover was getting under way. He recalls: ‘I was stunned at how much the station smell…

A new era of sustainable rail transport is about to begin in southern France, with Région Sud and Swiss train manufacturer Stadler signing a contract for eight hybrid trains to serve the Chemins de fer de Provence (CP) line between Nice and Digne-les-Bains. Adapted hybrid trains, with a meter gauge, will combine battery power with a biodiesel engine, significantly reducing emissions along the 150-kilometer route. According to Stadler, hybrid mot…