CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) for the New Orleans metropolitan area are contributing to better air quality in Louisiana through a jointly funded GenSet ultra-low emission locomotive. Housed at CSX’s Gentilly Yard in New Orleans, the GenSet uses technology that reduces carbon emissions by 25 percent and nitrous oxide and particulate matter by more than 80 percent.

“This joint effort is a great example of public and private organizations working together to serve our communities,” said Carl Gerhardstein, assistant vice president, environmental systems and sustainability, CSX. “CSX is committed to environmental stewardship, and this locomotive will contribute to our newly announced goal to reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 6 to 8 percent by 2020. That, in turn, helps to improve air quality in the communities we serve.”

GenSet technology was incorporated in the retrofit of an existing locomotive used for switching rail cars at Gentilly Yard. The retrofit process replaces the traditional large, single diesel engine with three small diesel engines, allowing the locomotive to use only the energy it needs to pull its load. Monitoring technology takes the engines into “sleep” mode after a period of inactivity to conserve fuel and reduce emissions.

The GenSet retrofitting process was partially funded through a grant awarded to the Regional Planning Commission (RPC) by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program as part of the 2005 Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA). CSX funded the remainder of the retrofit as part of the company’s commitment to fuel efficiency and emissions reduction.

“Continuing to invest in sustainable technology is critical as we continue to rebuild the city of New Orleans,” said Rebecca Otte, RPC’s Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuel Partnership Coordinator. “Supporting this initiative with CSX will improve air quality in our region and in turn serve the people of the New Orleans metropolitan area.”

The Gentilly locomotive is one of three recently completed DERA-funded GenSets, and one of more than 30 GenSets in operation on CSX’s network overall. Over the past decade, CSX has invested more than $1.75 billion to upgrade its locomotive fleet, helping the company to improve fuel efficiency by 90 percent since 1980. In 2011, CSX was the only railroad named to the Carbon Performance Leadership Index by the not-for-profit Carbon Disclosure Project.

More information about CSX’s environmental commitment is available on the company’s web site www.csx.com.