Amtrak Continues Toward Goals of Zero Emissions

The new Amtrak Airo series trains.

As of April 16, 2024, Amtrak has filed a Request for Information (RFI) to further help the rail operator achieve its goals of building an emission-free fleet in the near future.

“Finding the cleanest technologies to carry customers across our vast network will be transformative as we deliver a new era of rail,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “We are excited to take this important step toward providing safe and reliable service with a smaller impact on the environment.”

Although much of Amtrak’s fleet is currently zero-emission, with about 108 emissions-free electric locomotives currently calling Amtrak’s fleet their home, Amtrak is striving to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 through the following measures:

• Committing to increase its ridership to about 66 million a year by 2040 to decrease the number of car and plane passengers 
• Currently having half of all of its electricity come from carbon-free sources, and striving to acquire all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2030
• Having already ordered 83 new Amtrak Airo trains that produce up to 90 percent less emissions, 28 new all-electric Acela trains which use up to 40 percent less energy, and also a batch of Siemens charger locomotives, which are EPA Tier 4 compliant
• Supporting its California partners to help them switch to renewable diesel