[20220304]IF10978_机车空转、空气质量和交叉口堵塞.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated March 4, 2022Locomotive Idling, Air Quality, and Blocked CrossingsWhen a train is not moving but its engines are running, it can present risks and disruptions for the surrounding community. Locomotives emit fuel exhaust that degrades air quality and generates noise and vibrations. If the idling train is stopped at a highway-rail grade crossing, local road transportation could be significantly impacted, especially if the nearest open railroad crossing is not close by. This could create serious conditions if first responders are unable to reach emergencies on the other side of the tracks. Why Do Locomotives Idle? Train engines generate thousands of horsepower and take an hour or more to warm up before they can start pulling rail cars. This is one reason there is reluctance to turn them off. Also, particularly relevant for a locomotive attached to a train, the brakes on the cars in the train do not work without power. The locomotive must run to keep the air pressure brakes on a train applied (the equivalent of keeping a car in park). In temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the engine has to be kept warm for engine fluids to work properly, a