Anacostia Rail Holdings (ARH) announced that its Pacific Harbor Line (PHL) subsidiary has entered into a development agreement with Remora, a Michigan-based climate technology startup that is pioneering mobile carbon capture for freight rail and trucking.

PHL, which provides rail transportation, maintenance and dispatching services to both Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, is also an investor in Remora, and Peter A. Gilbertson, president and CEO of PHL’s parent company, Anacostia Rail Holdings, serves as an advisor.

The partnership aligns with PHL’s long-standing commitment to innovation, environmental stewardship, and practical pathways toward decarbonization of freight rail operations.

“We are proud of our progress toward zero emission operations, which started when we acquired Tier 2 (lower emission) locomotives some 16 years ago,” says Otis L. Cliatt II, PHL President.

That initial success was followed by an evolution to Tier 3+ locomotives and then a conversion to renewable diesel fuel which cut CO₂ emissions by some 70 percent. PHL also operated a zeroemission (ZE) EMD® Joule battery-electric locomotive from Progress Rail in test service, and it currently operates a Tier 4 locomotive.

The railroad plans to upgrade its entire fleet of Tier 3+ locomotives to Tier 4 using proven after-treatment technologies.

“For PHL and Anacostia, carbon capture adds yet another option in our efforts to slash emissions,” says Gilbertson. “In addition to reducing CO₂ emissions, Remora’s technology elevates connected locomotives to EPA Tier 4 standards and also enables the reuse of carbon in other commercial applications.”

The U.S. is facing a CO₂ shortage, even as trains and trucks emit roughly 375 million tons of it every year. Remora’s solution captures that CO₂, converts it to liquid, and sells it to industries such as farming, food production, and manufacturing, sharing the revenue with its transportation partners.

“This partnership with Remora gives PHL an opportunity to help shape a technology that could significantly reduce freight rail emissions while creating new economic value for operators,” said Cliatt. “We’re proud to support innovations that have the potential to benefit the entire rail industry.”

Founded five years ago, Remora has raised $117 million in venture capital from investors. The company’s early truck-based pilots informed a redesigned system that eliminates backpressure, increases efficiency, and captures up to one ton of CO₂ per hour at locomotive scale. “We’re building this technology not only to meet environmental goals, but to make it financially compelling for railroads,” said Paul Gross, co-founder and CEO of Remora. “Pacific Harbor Line’s support and Anacostia’s leadership will be instrumental as we bring carbon capture to freight rail.”

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