Washington, D.C. — Each Earth Day, attention turns to the technologies and systems helping lower emissions and move the economy forward. Among them is a proven asset already delivering results: freight rail. Transportation accounts for nearly one-third of the total of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, but freight rail contributes only 2% to that total—making it one of the most environmentally responsible ways to move goods over land.
Here are five ways freight rail is driving lower emissions:
1. Trains move far more freight per gallon than trucks
A freight train can haul one ton of goods roughly 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel — about three to four times better than a truck. CSX’s 2024 data puts their own fleet at 528 ton-miles per gallon. That efficiency gap is the foundation of rail’s environmental advantage: fewer gallons burned means fewer emissions per pound delivered.
2. Shifting freight from road to rail would massively cut emissions
Swapping truck shipments for rail reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75% for the same cargo. The numbers scale up quickly: if just 25% of long-haul truck traffic (trips of 750+ miles) moved by rail instead, it’s estimated that annual GHG emissions would fall by about 13.1 million tons, or roughly equivalent to taking 2.8 million cars off the road for a year. Here’s a real world example: in 2022, BNSF customers reduced their carbon footprint by more than 23.9 million metric tons by shipping by rail instead of truck.
3. Railroads have already cut millions of tons of CO₂ through smarter operations
Railroads have been steadily improving efficiency through better routing software, reduced idling, and longer trains — and it adds up. CPKC reports that these kinds of operational improvements have helped drive a double-digit increase in fuel efficiency since 2019, directly lowering CO₂ emissions intensity across its network. By deploying trip optimization tools and idle-reduction technologies, CPKC is reducing the fuel required per ton-mile—cutting thousands of tons of CO₂ emissions annually while moving more freight with fewer resources.
4. Battery-electric locomotives are replacing diesel in rail yards
Rail yards — where trains are assembled, sorted, and switched — are often located near residential communities and have historically run on diesel engines. That’s changing. Union Pacific, for example, invested over $100 million to deploy 20 battery-electric locomotives at its yards in California and Nebraska in 2022, making it the world’s largest carrier-owned battery-electric freight fleet. Every 10 locomotive units eliminate roughly 4,000 tons of carbon per year — equivalent to taking 800 cars off the road.
5. Railroads are actively testing innovative solutions for the future
Beyond batteries, railroads are investing in the next generation of clean propulsion. CSX converted a diesel locomotive into a hydrogen fuel cell prototype that emits only water vapor and began field testing it in 2024. CSX has also been testing B20 biodiesel blends (20% soybean-based fuel) in active service. Norfolk Southern has been upgrading 330 locomotives to improve efficiency and run cleaner fuels. These aren’t future aspirations, but real solutions that railroads are implementing into their operations right now.
The environmental case for freight rail isn’t just compelling — it’s already proven. Every ton of freight that moves by rail instead of truck means cleaner air, less highway congestion, and lower emissions for communities across the country. And with railroads continuing to invest in electric, hydrogen, and low-carbon technologies, that advantage will only grow.
Policymakers have an opportunity to accelerate this progress by supporting smart rail investments that benefit shippers, communities, and the environment alike. When railroads thrive, so do the communities they serve— and so does the planet.
