In California, Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which manages the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service, will now operate on renewable diesel (RD) which is chemically similar to fossil diesel but made from renewable raw materials such as used cooking oil, instead of crude oil. Compared to fossil diesel, RD significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 63% throughout its lifecycle, providing a steep increase to the sustainability of rail travel in Southern California. Furthermore, the switch to RD offers the potential to reduce other harmful emissions, including fine particulates and nitrogen oxides leading to improved local air quality.
