Class I Briefs: CSX, BNSF

CSX releases a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting its advancements in 2023 with special reports and videos, including the launch of a hydrogen fuel cell-powered locomotive. Also, BNSF donates a 28,000-gallon tank car prop to the City of Olathe (Kans.) Fire Department.

CSX

CSX highlights its advancements in addressing key ESG issues through alternative fuel projects, investments in safety innovations, and improvements to the employee work environment in a 2023 ESG report (download below).

Among the Class I railroad’s achievements:

• Launching its first-ever hydrogen fuel cell-powered locomotive in partnership with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC). “Repowering diesel freight locomotives with hydrogen fuel cells and battery technology reduces the carbon footprint by 60% compared to constructing a new locomotive,” CSX noted. (Scroll up for video.)

• Helping customers avoid approximately 12.9 million tons of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of taking just over 3 million passenger vehicles off the road.

• Announcing the award of an $11.6 million grant for the acquisition of three battery-electric, zero-emissions locomotives to replace non-tiered units. The Wabtec FLXdrives will be used at the Port of Baltimore and CSX Curtis Bay facility.

• Engaging suppliers—which represent 75% of spend—in CDP’s Supply Chain program “to improve sustainability of operations and reduce the carbon footprint of the company’s value chain.”

• Pilot-testing, in collaboration with Wabtec, 10 locomotives with a biodiesel fuel blend in Tampa, Fla., “demonstrating nearly 20% reduction in GHG emissions compared to diesel locomotives.” (See video below.)

• Expanding nature-based solutions projects, reforesting 144 acres of land with more than 53,000 trees.

Additionally, CSX reported expanding its “ONE CSX cultural transformation, emphasizing the importance of employees being valued, engaged, respected, and appreciated to maximize value for customers and broader stakeholders.” Key efforts included:

• Becoming the first U.S. Class I railroad to offer paid sick leave agreements to its union-represented workers, covering 75% of the total workforce.
• Training more than 6,000 local community first responders to safeguard employees, customers, and the communities CSX serves.
• Celebrating five years of “CSX Pride in Service,” committing more than $25 million to partner organizations since 2018 to honor and serve veterans, military personnel, and first responders.

The Class I railroad stated that it is “committed to transparent communications and this report references leading ESG disclosure frameworks including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2021 Universal Standards, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Rail Transportation standard and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).” This year, CSX noted, it “further enhanced its disclosures by aligning its business activities with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and SASB at the target level.”

“2023 was a year of tremendous progress for the ONE CSX team across all ESG priorities,” CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs said during the 90-page report’s release on July 30. “By investing in and listening to our people, we enhanced value for our customers, industry and communities. Through operational excellence and innovation, we improved service performance, piloted less carbon-intensive fuels, and made significant progress toward forging a sustainable future for the rail industry.”

“Prioritizing environmental stewardship, adhering to the highest governance standards, and positively impacting the lives of employees and communities are critical foundations of our mission to be the leading supplier of rail-based freight in North America,” added Bryan Tucker, CSX Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability. “As the most sustainable option for moving freight, CSX believes progress in these areas help advance the entire rail industry. We are committed to constant improvement as we move forward, together.”

BNSF

BNSF on July 29 reported via social media that it recently donated a 28,000-gallon tank car prop to the City of Olathe Fire Department for training purposes. The railroad’s hazmat safety program includes training local responders on how to safely handle hazmat incidents, as well as supporting their own hazmat safety programs.

In related developments, fall 2023 grants from the BNSF Railway Foundation allowed the Osceola, Ark., Fire Department to purchase a new drone and helped the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association’s TESLA (Training Ensures a Safe Louisiana) program.