With global warming and climate change at the forefront of the news recently, the Catskill Mountain Railroad is helping to fight back, officials say. 

In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and harmful emissions from the use of diesel fuel it is now running its locomotives on 100 percent biodiesel. 

The Catskill Mountain Railroad is the first tourist railroad in the United States to convert to 100 percent biodiesel and shows the CMRR’s commitment to Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger’s leadership to create the boldest climate agenda in New York State, their officials said.

According to the US Department of Energy, the use of 100 percent biodiesel reduces carbon dioxide (Greenhouse Gas) emissions by 74 percent compared to regular diesel fuel. It also reduces carbon monoxide and particulate emissions by nearly 50 percent, and hydrocarbon emissions by nearly 70 percent.  They say the composition of the remaining particulates is much less adverse than that from normal diesel as they are biodegradable.

The CMRR is being supplied the biodiesel by NetZero Biofuels, a Hudson Valley startup founded by local entrepreneur Dave Davenport and located near Newburgh. 

NetZero converts thousands of gallons of byproduct soybean oil from farms in Syracuse, which are treated at their production facility in nearby Rock Tavern.

 With the CMRR being NetZero’s first major commercial customer, it is a win-win for both businesses by supporting a growing Hudson Valley supplier of green energy as well as making the Catskill Mountain Railroad a leader in sustainability in the US railroad tourism industry, the organization says.