An evapotranspiration, convection, polluted air connection?

Can air pollution affect cloud formation and can this, in turn, impact planet weather and climate? In a Nov. 25, 2013 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) news release, discussed is how air pollution may effect cloud formation and what, if any, affect this might have on warming/cooling among other considerations. “Researchers had thought that pollution causes larger and … Read more

West-to-Midwest rail refrigerated service kickoff set for 2014

What I applaud and appreciate are greater efficiencies in and reduced emissions coming from the transportation sector. I see exactly this in today’s more fuel-efficient, lower-emissions motor vehicles compared to times past. And there is similar improvement in the railroad realm. And it just keeps getting better and better. In the most recent (Dec. 2013) Vegetable Growers News, VGN correspondent … Read more

Green diesel locomotion: Some new-switcher-oo ‘pulling’ for a change

In all of my live-long days I have never heard a diesel locomotive described – for all practical purposes – as a black-soot-belching volcano; that is, not before today. But, seriously. If the majority of diesel locomotives contribute a fair amount of locomotive-engine-sourced pollution released into the atmosphere then I could definitely understand why efforts aimed at “greening” diesel … Read more

Air pollution: What it is, does and means

A pointed The Fresno Bee letter published a couple of days back is spot on. And, author Lloyd Carter in the letter, who seems adamant and emphatic, could not have been any more blunt nor said what he said better. In “When will Valley air be safe?,” Carter insists San Joaquin Valley air quality is “terrible.” This is followed up with the … Read more

Electric, steam, diesel, and LNG: Locomotive development on a roll

Back on Jan. 17th in “CATS: Diesel-electric versus pure electric train operations – pros and cons,” I wrote: “I was born in the age of the diesel loco. Steam as locomotive propulsion power, although reaching a zenith right around World War II, quite interestingly, maintains a presence, albeit a shadow of its former self by … Read more

In a nutshell: The good and bad of Valley air-pollution reduction

I keep hearing or reading where San Joaquin Valley, California business owners have paid billions of dollars over the years to reduce their contribution to air pollution by as much as 80 percent. Directly related to this businesses, since the 1980s, are credited by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD or Valley Air District) … Read more

TIFFS: Do voter-approved-rail-project-funds ‘road-blocks’ serve well the public?

Number seven in the Transport in a Fine Fix Series. When I last left off in number six in the Transport in a Fine Fix Series (“TIFFS: The right route when the going gets tougher?”) I discussed what effect work stoppages and natural disasters, to name but two, would likely have on mobility. Here is … Read more

Summer to fall, no break from Valley’s dirty air … yet

On Nov. 8th I posted: “Meteorological reporting-related phraseology obfuscates” and, in that entry, I wrote that the expected high temperature for Fresno, California for Monday, Nov. 11th was 80 degrees. I suggested that this high a temperature for Fresno for this time of year is way too hot. I also discussed Air Quality Index or AQI for Nov. … Read more