Green Goat

The unit, called the Green Goat, will save an estimated $143,000 in annual fuel costs and reduce the amount of diesel emissions coming from the terminal’s rail cargo operation, says the port. “It is living up to expectations; it has plenty of hauling power, it is very quiet at idle because that is when it is operating on battery power, and it uses significantly less fuel than the locomotive it replaced did,” says Heather Mantz, VPA director of environmental affairs.

The Green Goat is the first of three new yard locos purchased at a cost of $3.6m. “With the money we save in fuel, efficiency, maintenance and overall operating costs, these machines will pay their own way over just a few years,” says Ms Mantz.