Norfolk Southern piloting industry's first carbon-capturing rail car

Published: 2025-04-29 08:20:25 ET NSC

Norfolk Southern weaves sustainability into its operations and helps customers hit their environmental goals with smart solutions.

A new ground-breaking pilot project with start-up Remora places a tender car behind a locomotive to scrub emissions, preventing them from entering the atmosphere.

Why it matters: Transportation is the largest contributor to emissions. Shipping by rail versus truck can reduce emissions on average by 75%, a win for air quality. The new technology is built to capture 70% of carbon dioxide and reduce other air pollutants by 90% without affecting the train's power.

How it works: Locomotive exhaust enters a containment system allowing CO2 to be stored as liquid and is easily offloaded when the locomotive refuels. The carbon is transported to end-users like concrete, fuel, and chemical producers, for purchase. Remora, a carbon capture pioneer, is leading the work with us, and others like Union Pacific, and Pacific Harbor Line. Revenue from carbon sales is shared with the group.

What's next: The first car could hit the tracks by late summer, with full production beginning a year later. The project will help us achieve our sustainability targets, including a 42% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2034.

Forging ahead: By 2030, Remora plans to produce 500 units annually. That's enough to reduce 714,000 metric tons of CO2 each year - the equivalent to 96,000 homes' worth of emissions.

If you have a PRO subscription, read the Wall Street Journal's story about the pilot.

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