SmartWay Transport Partnership

There are three steps to joining SmartWay as a rail carrier partner:

1. Assess Your Operations by gathering basic informationabout your company's fleets and operations;
2. Calculate Your Baseline by entering your data into the Raill Carrier Tool and submit for approval; and
3. View Performance Rankings and Track Your Progress by updating your Tool submission each year.

START HERE!

Before downloading the Rail Carrier Tool, take time to review the getting started guide, which includes a copy of the partnership agreement*.

"You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more."

• User Guide 1—Getting Started Guide: Rail Carrier Guidance (PDF) (8 pp, 600KB)

1) ASSESS:

The first step to becoming a SmartWay partner is collecting your data. The data collection overview and workbook below will help you get prepared for your tool submission and make data entry easier.

GATHERING YOUR DATA

• User Guide 2—Data Collection Overview and Workbook: Rail Carrier Guidance(PDF) (14 pp, 748 KB)

2) CALCULATE:

The next step in becoming a SmartWay partner is to enter your data in the Rail Carrier Tool. User Guide 3 will help you with data entry and troubleshooting the tool.

Download your FLEET Tool, complete all fields, and submit for evaluation and approval.

DOWNLOAD AND COMPLETE THE RAIL CARRIER TOOL

• User Guide 3—Data Entry and Troubleshooting Guide: Rail Carrier Guidance (PDF) (48 pp, 988 KB)
• Data Import/Export Guide—Importing Data into the SmartWay Rail Tool (PDF) (8 pp, 444 KB) (Optional-for users that have large amounts of carrier data)

• SUBMITTING YOUR TOOL: Please follow the instructions in the tool for saving your file, then submit via email to smartway_transport@epa.gov for evaluation.

*Note: EPA cannot provide technical support for preparing files for importing. Please work with your internal IT department to make sure data files are set up properly for import.

3) TRACK:

To maintain your status as a SmartWay Rail Carrier in good standing, you will need to update your data and resubmit a Rail Carrier Tool each year.

Performance Ranking Information

• View the Current Carrier Rankings and Emission Rates: This is an MS Excel file containing the latest information on SmartWay Partners' fleet bin category, bin ranking and emission rate information. The file is refreshed every Monday morning. (For reference purposes only)
• About SmartWay Performance Rankings (Guide) (PDF) (3pp, 310 KB): This overview explains how carriers are ranked in the SmartWay system.

ANNUAL UPDATES: As a Rail Carrier Partner, you agree to update your tool data and submit a new tool annually.

More Resources for Rail Carriers

• General EPA webpage on Locomotives:  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/locomotives.htm
• Locomotive Compression-Ignition Engines Certification Data:  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/certdata.htm#locomotive
• General/technical information on locomotive rulemakings that affect railroads, locomotive mfrs and remanufacturers:  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/locomotives.htm -
• Control of emissions from Idling Locomotives fact sheet:  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/locomotv/420f08014.htm
• 2008 Locomotive and Marine Diesel Engines Emissions Standards:  http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/420f08004.htm
• Guidance for Quantifying and Using Long-Duration Switch Yard Locomotive Idling Emission Reductions in State Implementation Plans: EPA420-B-09-037, January 2004 (link to pdf)

Related Program Links:

• National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC) – for information on clean-diesel grant opportunities and DERA grant opportunities:  http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/
• Federal Railroad Administration:  http://www.fra.dot.gov/
• Association of American Railroads (AAR):  http://www.aar.org/
• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association:  http://www.aslrra.org/home/index.cfm

Related Studies/Fact Sheets

• Vancouver, WA, Switchyard Locomotive Idle Reduction Project (2005) (modeled after the Chicago diesel loco retrofit project (2002) – pdf  We have a link to it  from here:  http://www.epa.gov/smartway/publications/index.htm
• Chicago study:  (note that we have a link to the Chicago Study under SmartWay Publications but when you follow the link, it goes to a “sorry that page is gone” type page – we need to upload the pdf on this page again.  We have it. 
• Locomotive Switcher Fact Sheet:  www.epa.gov/midwestcleandiesel/sectors/rail/switchers2.pdf  (not sure when this was created, or if it is up to date.)

Important Links

 

Upcoming Events and Webinars

Logo Guidelines

General SmartWay Publications

Marketing Resources

SmartWay Verified Technologies

SmartWay-Designated Tractors and Trailers

Drayage (Dray) Truck Program