Photo courtesy of Robert Madrid for FPL

Photo courtesy of Robert Madrid for FPL

Brightline, a new express train service in Florida, has formed a partnership with Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), who will provide biodiesel for its trains. FPL, which has used biodiesel in its trucks for nearly two decades, will supply Brightline with 2 million gallons of biodiesel-blended fuel annually through a two-year contract.

FPL uses biodiesel as the primary fuel source for more than 1,750 vehicles in its fleet. Biodiesel is produced from renewable sources like corn, soybeans, and used cooking oil. It is cost-competitive and reduces engine wear, and can lower operations and maintenance costs, according to FPL.

Brightline’s new trains are powered by Siemens Charger locomotives and equipped with fuel tanks designed to contain up to 2,200 gallons of fuel. Each trainset includes two locomotives and four passenger cars (‘Select’ and ‘Smart’ coaches). Projected consumption of the trains is 2 gallons of fuel per mile, which means the 67-mile one-way trip from Miami to West Palm Beach consumes 134 gallons.

FPL’s fleet has used an estimated 18 million gallons of biodiesel and driven more than 120 million miles without any fuel-related engine issues. Last year, FPL’s biodiesel consumption led to a CO2 reduction of 3,625 tons — the equivalent of taking more than 600 passenger vehicles off the road in one year.

Originally posted on Work Truck Online

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