PORT OF LOS ANGELES APPLAUDS PACIFIC HARBOR LINE FOR TOP RAIL INDUSTRY HONORS
SAN PEDRO, Calif. ─ April 2, 2009 ─ The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners today honored Pacific Harbor Line of Wilmington, California after PHL was named the “Short Line Railroad of the Year” for 2009 by Railway Age magazine.
The Railway Age award is the latest in a series of honors the rail line has received commending its use of electric and hybrid vehicles, and low sulfur fuels. PHL is one of five Anacostia & Pacific Company, Inc. affiliate railroads (Chicago, Illinois), and was recognized for replacing and expanding its entire locomotive fleet with 22 low-emission diesel units.
“The Port of Los Angeles commends PHL for making the substantial investments necessary to bring cleaner air to the harbor community,” said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.d. “Their commitment to the environment is on par with their value as an exemplary employer and rail service provider in this port complex.”
“We have become the most environmentally-friendly switching railroad in the nation and the first in North America to have all of its locomotives meet or exceed the EPA’s stringent Tier 2 and Tier 3 standards,” said Andrew Fox, PHL president.
The Port of Los Angeles contributed $5 million in funding for the locomotive fleet turnover, which collectively amounted to more than a $30 million investmment.
Pacific Harbor Line provides all rail switching services within the San Pedro Bay ports. PHL has taken an active role in the Smartway Transport Partnership under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and was the only railroad among 27 companies to receive the EPAs Smartway Environmental Excellence Award in 2008 for leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse emissions. Since 2007, the 75-mile West Coast switching carrier has cut its particulate emissions by 70 percent and its nitrogen oxide emissions by 46 percent.
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as the nation it serves. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume well as the quality of life for the region and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. The Port of Los Angeles – A cleaner port. A brighter future.