Fairmount Santrol Reduces Environmental Footprint with Railserve LEAF® Gen-Set Locomotive
New Railserve LEAF® Gen-Set Locomotive uses 50 percent less diesel fuel
SUGAR LAND, Texas, October 22, 2014—Fairmount Santrol announced today the company has deployed a Railserve LEAF® Gen-Set locomotive at its Roff, Oklahoma, resin-coating plants, as part of a continuous commitment to a minimal operational footprint. The locomotive uses 50% less diesel fuel in less time to move six times the number of railcars around the two Roff property plants.
The Railserve LEAF Gen-Set is reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 84% with the reduced fuel consumption. As a result, the air quality in the Roff community is improving.
“As part of our permanent commitment to good corporate citizenship in the Roff community and all Fairmount Santrol locations, we continuously look for solutions that will reduce our environmental footprint,” said Rob Bigbee, Roff plant manager. “The deployment of this new locomotive is another important example of our strategy in progress.”
The Roff plants, which receive Fairmount Santrol Northern White sand for resin coating, have a long list of other sustainable development achievements. The terminal’s team members have planted 1,300 trees on the Fairmount Santrol property in the last year to reduce the community’s carbon footprint. More trees will be planted this winter.
The new locomotive is the second acquired by Fairmount Santrol. In 2012, the company purchased a Railserve LEAF for switching operations at one of its Wisconsin mines.
“The Railserve LEAF was created specifically for industrial in-plant and commercial-yard switching applications,” says TJ Mahoney, program manager for Railserve LEAF Gen-Set Locomotives. “Now, we have built on the original design to add enhancements and features that make the Railserve LEAF and DUAL LEAF locomotives well suited for operations on short line and regional railroads, including more pulling power and higher operating speeds that maximize tractive effort at up to 30 mph. So, by utilizing Gen-Set technology, users have a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional locomotive power.”
Railserve is a top North American provider of sustainable, economical switching locomotives. The Railserve LEAF and Dual LEAF units minimize fuel usage and significantly reduce emissions while maintaining the performance of a traditional switching locomotive. The Cummins QSX-15 engine that powers the LEAF is EPA certified Tier 3.
About Fairmount Santrol
Fairmount Santrol, formerly Fairmount Minerals, is a leading provider of high-performance sand and sand-based products used by oil and gas exploration and production companies to enhance the productivity of their wells. The company also provides high-quality products, strong technical leadership and applications knowledge to end users in the foundry, building products, water filtration, glass, and sports and recreation markets. Its global logistics capabilities include a wide-ranging network of distribution terminals and thousands of rail cars that allow the company to effectively serve customers wherever they operate. As one of the nation’s longest continuously operating mining organizations, Fairmount Santrol has developed a strong commitment to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and operational safety. Correspondingly, the company’s motto and action orientation is: “Do good. Do well.”
About Railserve
Railserve is the largest provider of in-plant rail switching and associated services—operating in more than 70 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Railserve manufactures the Railserve LEAF® and Railserve Dual LEAF Gen-Set Locomotives at its Longview, Texas facility. Railserve uses its own locomotives and employees to safely move railcars within industrial, manufacturing and production plants. In addition, Railserve provides other services including railcar loading and unloading; track maintenance, inspection and repair; and more. For more information on Railserve, visit www.Railserve.biz; for more information on the Railserve LEAF® Gen-Set Locomotive, visit www.RailserveLEAF.biz.
Railserve is a member company of The Marmon Group.
Fairmount Santrol contact
Bruce Goldfaden
281-750-5966
bruce.goldfaden@fairmountsantrol.com
Railserve contact
Bill Fahrenwald
James Street Associates
708-371-0110 Ext.1-#
bfahrenwald@jamesstreetassoc.com