How cruise control and book-and-claim can decarbonize US railroads

This is freight industry news, not something that touches home energy upgrades directly, but it shows how the shipping world is working to cut emissions.

Norfolk Southern, one of the country's large freight railroads, is trying to cut the carbon emissions from its trains by 42 percent by 2034, compared to 2019 levels. The company says it's about a third of the way there, helped by a locomotive version of cruise control that automatically manages train speed and has improved fuel efficiency by 5 percent this year. The railroad also uses biodiesel, a plant-based fuel blended with regular diesel, and is looking to shift toward renewable diesel, a plant-based fuel that could fully replace fossil diesel without changing the locomotives themselves. That fuel currently costs about 20 percent more than regular diesel outside California, where state subsidies close the gap.

To help pay for the switch, Norfolk Southern sells certificates representing emissions savings to customers who want credit for shipping goods more cleanly, even when their specific cargo doesn't move on a low-carbon train. A recent rule change now lets companies count those certificates toward their own climate goals, which is spurring more interest.

The company is also pursuing a merger with Union Pacific that would create a single railroad spanning the country. Supporters say that would pull more freight off trucks and onto trains, cutting emissions further. Critics, including some unions and shippers, worry the merger could raise prices and hurt service, pushing more freight back onto the road.