Sustainability of Short Line Railroads

Sustainability Highlights

Comparatively, one locomotive equals the fuel efficiency of four trucks.
Railroads only contribute around 2% of greenhouse gas emissions, however they constitute approximately 40% of US freight transportation.
- Opting for rail transport instead of trucks can lead to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 75%.
- A single railcar has the capacity to transport 3-4 times the amount of freight an average truck can carry.
- On average, railroads achieve the movement of one ton of freight for over 480 miles per gallon of fuel.

Shifting 10% of the freight currently transported by the largest trucks to railroads would result in a yearly decrease of more than 17 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing 3.35 million cars from the roads.
We are aligned with EPA SmartWay Partnership, contributing to the advancement of supply chain sustainability by measuring, benchmarking, and enhancing the efficiency of freight transportation.
- A single freight train can take several hundred trucks off the nation’s highways.
- Patriot Rail employs solar-powered wheel greasers at various locations.
- Patriot Rail is collaborating with utility providers to maximize the integration of renewable energy sources within our energy portfolio.