FEC offers an environmentally friendly alternative to moving goods by truck, thanks to rail’s unique ability to fight highway gridlock, lower fuel consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce pollution. For example, a single freight train can take the load of 280 or more trucks — equivalent to 1,100 cars — off of overcrowded highways. Moving freight by rail also reduces the pressure to build costly new roads and helps cut the cost of maintaining the roads we already have. As fuel consumption and energy conservation continue to be critical issues for Americans to consider, rail service offers more affordable, efficient and environmentally-responsible transportation.

Facts to consider:

• A freight train moves a ton of freight an average of 484 miles on a single gallon of fuel. According to a recent independent study produced for the Federal Railroad Administration, railroads on average are four times more fuel-efficient than trucks.

• Because greenhouse gas emissions are directly related to fuel consumption, railroads have a lower carbon footprint. In fact, moving freight by rail instead of truck reduces gas emissions by 75 percent, on average.

• If just 10 percent of long-distance freight that currently moves by highway switched to rail, national fuel savings would exceed one billion gallons a year and annual greenhouse gas emissions would fall by some 12 million tons.

Carbon Calculator

The EPA estimates that every ton-mile of freight that moves by rail instead of by highway reduces greenhouse emissions by two-thirds. But what does that really mean? The Association of American Railroads' easy-to-use carbon calculator will estimate the amount of carbon dioxide that can be prevented from entering our environment just by using freight rail instead of trucks.

Association of American Railroads Resources:

Carbon Calculator

Freight Railroads Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Freight Railroads: Reducing Highway Gridlock

The Environmental Benefits of Moving Freight by Rail

Illegal Dumping

FEC is concerned about the environmental health of our right-of-way not only on the surface, but also in the soil, groundwater, and air. Illegal dumping of solid or hazardous waste, construction/demolition debris, (and trash in general) can pose a threat to the environment and becomes a costly issue to remedy.

To report illegal dumping please contact our Environmental Department:
South Florida: 305-889-5613
North Florida: 904-279-3277