New York & Atlantic Railway named an EPA “Smart Way” Partner

Anacostia Rail Holdings Company (ARH) announced that all six of its short-line railroads, including Glendale, NY-based New York & Atlantic Railway (NYAR), have become certified Partners of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA SmartWay ® Transport Partnership (www.epa.gov/smartway). NYAR operates under an agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to provide freight service throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island across 270 miles of track on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) network.

Developed by the EPA and launched in 2004, SmartWay is a collaborative framework involving industry stakeholders and environmental groups to track and reduce emissions and fuel use in the transportation sector.

In addition to railroads, more than 3,000 SmartWay Partners include truck, air, and barge carriers and shipper, logistics, and multimodal companies.

ARH subsidiary Pacific Harbor Line, Inc. (PHL), based near Long Beach, California, was the first short line to join SmartWay in 2014. The other five lines joined SmartWay effective April 29, 2021. They are:

• Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad;
• Gulf Coast Switching Company;
• Louisville & Indiana Railroad;
• New York & Atlantic Railway;
• Northern Lines Railway.

Chicago-based ARH is a private holding company. Its freight railroads serve seven states and handle the equivalent of some two million carloads annually.

Gilbertson is proud of the Anacostia team. “They have performed a leadership role in the railroad industry to address issues involving the environment and sustainability.”

Since 2011, ARH and its subsidiaries have invested $38 million on modernizing their services with lower-emissions locomotives.

NYAR has secured grants and provided matching funds to make critical improvements to LIRR infrastructure. This capital contribution has been substantial, surpassing $25 million with projects including reconstruction of terminals, clearance improvements, new yard tracks, and upgrading its fleet with clean-burning diesel locomotives. NYAR rail traffic removes over 100,000 trucks from our region’s congested bridges and highways annually.

Railroads are cleaner, safer than trucks

“Railroads are cleaner and up to four times more efficient than trucks,” Gilbertson says. According to a study by the United States EPA, nearly 83 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by transportation sources come from passenger cars and freight/light-duty trucks, of which motor carriers account for 23 percent. Railroads, by comparison, emit only 2.1 percent — or ten times less than trucks.

The environmental benefits of using rail are significant, Gilbertson explains. “For example, moving freight by rail in Minnesota in 2019 prevented emission of 9.05 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions — the equivalent of planting 137.1 million trees.”

In addition to being cleaner, Gilbertson says, “Freight railroads are 42 times safer than large trucks.” Referring to U.S. Department of Transportation sources, he cites, “In 2018, there were 151,000 injuries in crashes involving large trucks, versus 3,554 injuries related to rail freight.”

Besides being a booster of the SmartWay program, ARH is an active member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroads Association’s Environmental Task Force. ARH also participates on the Association of American Railroads’ Greenhouse Gas Committee.

Short lines are critical to communities

Short lines are critical to the communities they serve, Gilbertson notes. “Smaller, short-line railroads move one in five freight cars each year, serving more than 10,000 customers annually. They provide the first and last mile of freight movement in every state except Hawaii, making them a critical piece of the U.S. freight network.”

About New York & Atlantic Railway
New York & Atlantic Railway began operation in May 1997 due to the privatized concession to operate freight trains on the lines owned by Long Island Rail Road. The railway serves a diverse customer base and shares track with the densest passenger system in the United States. New York & Atlantic Railway connects with CP, CSX, NYNJ, NS, and PW. For more information about New York & Atlantic Railway, please visit https://www.anacostia.com/railroads/nya.