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Amtrak and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Summary
• Overview
• Energy
• Emissions
1
Amtrak and the Environment
• Energy
– Amtrak’s focus is on development of fast, frequent and energy-efficient “corridor service” over
shorter routes (< 500 miles)
– Amtrak is experiencing a traffic boom – and it has moved more passengers while cutting energy use
by almost 19%
– On a passenger-mile basis, Amtrak is 17% more efficient than domestic airline travel and 21% more
efficient than auto travel
• Emissions
– The transportation industry emits about 28% of America’s carbon output
– Passenger railroads (intercity and commuter) are one of the cleanest forms of transportation,
emitting only 0.2% of the transportation industry’s greenhouse gasses
– Amtrak has long been an industry leader
in environmental initiatives, and was an
early member of the Chicago Climate Exchange
– Amtrak’s plan to cut its emissions by 2010
is the largest voluntary proportional reduction
in the United States
Transportation-related Carbon Dioxide
Emissions
2%
Autos & Light-duty
Trucks
Other Trucks
3%
3%
10%
Busses
1%
Aircraft
20%
61%
Ships and Boats
Locomotives
Other
“Locomotives” includes both freight and passenger emissions
Source: EPA Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gasses
and Sinks, 1990-2005
2
Global Climate Change and the Transportation Sector
• As policymakers address the issue of climate change, there will
be a heightened effort to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
– Thirty-six states have climate action plans completed or in progress
– There are approximately 150 emissions-related federal legislative
proposals (57 Senate/ 90 House)
• Some policy makers are calling for an 80% reduction in CO2
emissions by 2050.
• About 28% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the
transportation sector. Highway travel generates 75% of carbon
emissions and consumes 75% of total sector energy use.
• Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost alternative to developing lowcarbon and zero-carbon alternative fuels
3
Global Climate Change and the Transportation Sector
• Air transportation produces significant levels of CO2. Emissions
effects are greater at high altitudes.
• Airliner fuel use triples during the takeoff climb, and sometimes in
descent, making short distance trips inefficient
• Rail travel could efficiently replace short distance air travel and
longer distance highway trips, while reducing greenhouse gas
emissions
• Adopt policies that reward and encourage energy efficient, lowemissions transportation modes like passenger rail
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Amtrak’s place in domestic transportation
• Amtrak is the nation’s principal intercity rail passenger carrier
– Operates 21,000 route-miles of service in 46 states
– Carried over 24 million riders in FY 06
– Amtrak operations parallel I-95 north of Richmond, and serve the same localities as six of
the ten most congested airports in the U.S.
– Amtrak service parallels I-5 between Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego
• Amtrak’s electrified line between Washington, DC and New York City carries more
passengers between those two cities than all of the air carriers combined
• Auto-Train service between Virginia and Florida literally removes 105,439 cars per
year from the I-95 corridor (train carries cars and passengers)
• Amtrak’s development strategy envisions partnerships with state governments to
develop fast, frequent service over corridors of fewer than 500 miles
– Could replace the least efficient and most polluting airline services
5
Amtrak’s National System
6
Top Ten Corridors by Ridership, FY 2002-2006
Corridor
Ridership (2002-6)
Length
2002-2006 Change
YTD Change
DC-NYC-Boston
46,622,654
457 mi
+3.2%
+6.3%
San DiegoSan Luis Obispo
11,427,543
128 mi
+54.1%
+1.6%
Capitol (San-JoseSacramento)
5,908,322
133 mi
+17%
+14.3%
New York-Albany
4,521,811
141 mi
+3.2%
+4.7%
Oakland-Bakersfield
3,811,284
318 mi
+8.9%
-0.4%
Phil.-Harrisburg
3,379,198
104 mi
+40.4%
+20.0%
Vancouver-Eugene
3,017,673
187 mi
+8.3%
+8.3%
Chicago-Milwaukee
2,387,377
86 mi
+43.6%
+2.7%
WashingtonNewport News
2,141,799
187 mi
-7.6%
-0.7%
Chicago-Pontiac
1,837,415
281 mi
+46.3%
+2.7%
Green highlight indicates corridor is also one of the ten fastest-growing corridors in FY 07
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What does it take to move one person one mile?
Amtrak is 17% more efficient than domestic airline travel
Amtrak is 21% more efficient than automobile travel
All measures are in British Thermal Units of energy per passenger mile
All data as of 2005; U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book,” 26th Edition
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Comparative Energy Intensities
BTU per Passenger Mile
Energy Intensity by Travel Mode, 2004
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Auto
Personal
Trucks
Transit
Busses
Commercial
Aviation
Amtrak
Transit Rail
Commuter
Rail
Mode
Source: U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26 – 2007”
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Amtrak reconciles efficiency and growth
Trillions of BTUs
Energy Used (trillions of BTUs)
17.5
17
16.5
16
15.5
15
14.5
14
13.5
13
2002
2003
2004
2005
Year
Amtrak has effected a significant
reduction in its energy
consumption while increasing
ridership
Source: U.S. DoE, “Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26 – 2007”
Number of Riders
Total Ridership
24,500,000
24,000,000
23,500,000
23,000,000
22,500,000
22,000,000
21,500,000
21,000,000
20,500,000
20,000,000
2002
2003
2004
Year
2005
NOTE: Ridership for all
years restated to reflect
NJ Transit assumption of
NJ/NY Clocker trains in
FY05.
10
Amtrak and Climate Change
• Amtrak has a longstanding interest in innovative methods for combating
global warming
– Amtrak joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) in 2003, the year it began
trading emissions
– Amtrak passengers will soon be able to purchase carbon offsets with internet
ticket purchases
• Realized efficiencies also reduce emissions
– Diesel fuel economies translate into greenhouse gas reductions
– Climate exchanges allow Amtrak to convert reductions into capital funds,
enabling further improvements and efficiencies
• Amtrak is committed to the largest voluntary proportional emissions
reduction plan in the United States (Source: CCX)
• Advanced rail technologies could further reduce emissions
– Eurostar estimates that an electrified high speed train emits between 1/10 and
¼ of the carbon dioxide of a plane.
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Emissions Comparisons
Kg of CO2 Emitted
Kilograms of Carbon Dioxide Per Passenger Mile
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0.18
0.21
0.35
Amtrak
Automobile
Airplane
Mode of Transportation
Auto data assumes single occupancy.
Aircraft data includes radiative forcing from high altitude release.
Calculations made with 2006 data provided by the World Resources Institute
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Backup Slides
Amtrak has significantly reduced fossil fuel use
Millions of Gallons of
Fuel
Diesel Fuel use (Millions of Gallons)
100
80
60
40
20
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Year
In July 2003, Amtrak ended its contract with the MBTA Commuter
services in Massachsuetts, which accounted for approximately 11 million
gallons of diesel fuel per year.
Amtrak reduced its diesel fuel use by almost 15% between 1999 and 2006
14
Amtrak’s voluntary commitment to emissions reduction
• Amtrak is committed to a phased reduction in its diesel emissions levels
• The baseline for the reduction is an average of 1998-2001 emissions levels
Fiscal Year
Emissions Commitment in Metric
Tons of CO2
1998
787,631
1999
821,259
2000
817,790
2001
776,077
Average of baseline years
800,689
2003
872,300 (actual: 846,100)
2004
810,000 (actual: 731,400)
2005
801,700 (actual: 723,600)
2006
793,400 (actual: 668,157)
Note: 2002 not an inventory year; part of pre- 2004 emissions due to a since-discontinued MBTA commuter contract
15
PHASE II
PHASE I
Planned reductions will be a phased process
Fiscal Year
Percentage of Baseline Reduction
2003
1%
2004
2%
2005
3%
2006
4%
2007
4½ %
2008
5%
2009
5½ %
2010
6%
Largest percentage reduction of any voluntary commitment in the United States (Source: CCX)
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South End of the NEC Air/Rail Shares (NYC-DC)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Air
Rail
50%
40%
30%
20%
45%
56%
50%
50%
51%
55%
FY 02
FY 03
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
54%
54%
10%
0%
FY 01
Source: Air-Rail Shares Report
1Q FY 2Q FY
07
07
17
North End of the NEC Air/Rail Shares (Boston-NYC)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Air
Rail
50%
40%
30%
41%
20%
10%
27%
35%
39%
38%
36%
FY 03
FY 04
FY 05
FY 06
38%
39%
0%
FY 01
FY 02
Source: Air-Rail Shares Report
1Q FY 2Q FY
07
07
18
Proposed Corridors
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Top Ten Corridors by Growth
Corridor
Change from FY06
Length
Ridership
Frequency
Chicago-Carbondale
+66.3%
310mi
208,723
6
Chicago-St. Louis
+54.7%
284mi
373,036
10
Chicago-Quincy
+40.8%
258mi
154,743
6
Chicago-Indianapolis
+29.8%
196mi
24,031
2
Keystone
+20.0%
104mi
905,187
29
Vermonter
+16.4%
611mi
58,717
2
Capitol Corridor
+14.3%
120mi
1,333,981
32
Adirondack
+8.9%
381mi
93,071
2
Cascades
+8.3%
467mi
622,590
12
NEC
+6.3%
457 mi
9,185,631
158
Green highlight indicates increases in service frequency - frequencies include long distance trains,
where appropriate
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