“California Imposes Emission Quotas on Train Transportation: Ban on Engines Over 23 Years Old”

The state of California has become the first in US history to impose emission quotas and restrictions on train transportation, banning locomotives with engines older than 23 years.

Train traffic, as we imagine it in Europe, is certainly not available in America, but it has a big impact directly on the transportation of goods, not on the movement of people. Therefore, the state of California will adopt emission limits, which, of course, are not happy about the representatives of rail traffic. The reasons are understandable, because the electrification and modernization of this type of transport is not an easy and cheap process.

It also points out that there is no easy way to produce zero-emission locomotives. In addition to this, highlighting the fact that the largest polluting emissions in the United States are made by trucks, and railways account for only 2% of these emissions. Currently, California’s railroad lines carry food, wood, oil, and other products, and are powered by diesel locomotives. Similar to what happens in Latvia.

California isn’t about to stop, however, as it has a plan in place to make the state carbon-free. Of course, this also includes road transport, which will have to be emission-free. In addition to the age limit for train engines, they will not be able to run for more than 30 minutes if they are equipped with an automatic shutdown system. We can appreciate the fact that in Europe, in general, electric trains are used, which reduce such problems.