Railroaders' Nostalgia > Mad Dog Chronicle II. # 319,5. Problems just beginning

Well now, problem identified, remedies determined, program implemented, consent agreement negotiated and signed.
End of story,  well that was not to be the case.  This was just the first chapter.

What came next was a flood of related challenges.  Not necessarily in order, but certainly related the following events.

The California PUC decided that railroad electrification would be a good idea.  A good way to increase Southern California Edison's load base.

The California Air Resources Board, CARB at the urging of SCAQMD, decided to publish some technology forcing regulations for large diesel
engines.  Ie Railroad locomotives.  Technology forcing since no existing Diesel engine could meet the specs.

The Southern California Association of Governments, SCAG, piggybacking on our Alemeda Corridor initiative for a consolidated corridor from the harbor
decided what would help matters was to extend this corridor consolidation all the way to Colton. However, no one consulted any of the railroads.  They just told us that we should do all of this as these were such good ideas and would be so helpful to the growth and health of the LA region.  
Now why don't you all put your heads together and figure outf all the details and how you are going to pay for it.
Oh, you bet,...I don't think so.

Lucky for us we already had a group to consider all these bright ideas.  Since the CARB regulations would apply state wide, we invited the BN to join
what now became the emissions regulation defense group.

While all of these issues are interrelated,  will initially deal with each one in a separate chapter. 
MDC # 320 next.

mdo









 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/20 18:02 by mdo.

Thanks Mike

Would the RR industry, as good corporate citizens,  have addressed emissions themselves without regulatory pressure?

A very good question.

yes, we already were. However these initiatives clearly moved the industry efforts to the front burner.
For one thing, it caused railroads to put pressure on the locomotive manufacturing industry to improve locomotive emissions much faster than they were planning.  
I will deal with this subject in more detail soon.
In the end GE got the message first.  They were way ahead by the time Tier four came along.