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BNSF Railway Co.'s yards in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston areas now are sporting more environmentally friendly locomotives. Yesterday, the Class I announced it has placed 67 generator-set (GenSet) switchers in service at the Texas facilities.

The railroad acquired the GenSet units with funding assistance through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Emissions Reduction Incentive Grants Program. The low-horsepower switchers feature three engines that operate only when needed, potentially reducing nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions by 80 percent to 90 percent, and improving fuel efficiency about 15 percent compared with standard switcher engines, BNSF said.

In addition to the GenSets, the Class I has acquired about 2,700 low-emission, more fuel-efficient locomotives to replace a significant portion of its 6,400 road and switcher fleets. For example, the road fleet features GE - Transportation's Evolution® Series locomotives, which offer lower emissions and higher fuel efficiency compared with conventional road locomotives.