The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) received welcome news at its November 16 Board Meeting. The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District provided the CCJPA a $320,000 Carl Moyer Fund award to purchase standby power units to run locomotives as they layover at Capitol Corridor/Amtrak Sacramento Valley Station. This award will provide an additional four cleaner power units bringing the total to eight. These added standby units will now be included in the City of Sacramento’s contract with Granite Construction Inc. as part of Sacramento’s track relocation project. The City, together with the CCJPA, initiated the Carl Moyer grant application process.
Standby units use electricity to power equipment, therefore trains won’t need to burn fossil fuel when stationed for extended periods of time. “Instead of idling and emitting harmful diesel emissions as crews clean and maintain the rail cars, passenger trains stopping at the remodeled Sacramento Valley Station next year will be powered by cleaner, quieter standby units,†CCJPA Director and Sacramento Councilmember Steve Cohn said.
The environmental benefits to this air pollution reduction measure are significant. “Operating eight units will help prevent over 330 tons of greenhouse gases and 2.5 tons of harmful air pollutants from entering our atmosphere each year,†Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Executive Director Larry Greene said. “The project team’s commitment to install electric power sources at Sacramento Station shows an innovative and unique use of Carl Moyer funding.â€
“We are thrilled with the award and pleased to announce this winning team effort,†CCJPA Chair Bob Franklin said. “The CCJPA is proud to partner on this project and contribute $80,000 as our local match requirement. The benefits of these standby units show this is sound reinvestment for the service and for our environment. Not only will this partnership help the region attain federal air quality standards, we will prevent tons of climate change emissions and will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs as well. Once these units are up and running we expect to save about 303,000 gallons of fuel each year.â€
About the Carl Moyer Grant Program
The Carl Moyer Grant Program is a state-wide initiative that was established in 1998 to help defray the costs of new lower emission technologies for diesel engines. The Air District awards help fleets pay for new lower emission engines, lower emission retrofits, and new equipment replacements. Mobile sources such as cars, trucks, tractors and other on and off road vehicles produce 70 percent of our air pollution. Low-emission fuels and technologies lead the way to cleaner air. By helping businesses purchase newer engines the Air District will accelerate progress towards reducing air emissions, improve air quality locally, and help the state meet federally mandated clean-air milestones.
About the Sacramento Valley Station Track Relocation Project
The City’s project is the first of a multi-phase, multi-modal facilities that are being built at the Railyards. The first phase is relocating the Union Pacific Railroad tracks 500 feet north of the current tracks to make for more efficient freight and passenger service. Granite Construction Company is the City’s prime contractor on the project and the firm will be installing the standby power units.
