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California Northern Railroad Co. (CFNR) recently received the 2011 Clean Air Champion Business Award from Breathe California, an organization dedicated to fighting lung disease and advocating for clean air.

The award recognizes the 260-mile short line’s efforts to reduce air emissions and noise along its routes in the Sacramento Valley.

CFNR's locomotive fleet has been converted to more environmentally friendly units with the addition of six GenSets. The ultra-low-emitting, low-noise locomotives have helped reduce emissions by 80 percent and are expected to cut fuel consumption by up to 20 percent, according to the railroad. The short line, which is owned by RailAmerica Inc., also has met a Tier 3 non-road emission standard set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“We are hopeful that this investment will lead the way in setting an example for other railroads to follow in California and across North America,” said Don Seil, who recently was CFNR’s general manager and now is regional vice president of RailAmerica‘s Southeast Region, in a prepared statement.