The Railroad
The Sierra Railroad Company (SRC), established in 1897, is one of California’s oldest operating railroads, with a fleet of 42 locomotives. The company has a remarkable story of innovation in decarbonizing its fleet, as detailed in a previous Reformed Carbon series article. To recap: SRC began exploring alternative fuel sources in response to California’s energy crisis in the early 2000s, when its leadership recognized that locomotives could serve not only as transportation assets but also as mobile generators—a concept they referred to as a “powertrain.”
To power these locomotives sustainably, SRC initially transitioned to biodiesel. Seeking further decarbonization, the company turned to hydrogen production using gasifier technology fueled by bio-derived and waste feedstocks. It acquired the licensing and constructed a plant at Fort Hunter Liggett in Monterey County, California. This facility produces…
