How Indian Railways Is Leading The Way In Reducing The Nation's Carbon Footprint A WAP-7 locomotive of the Indian Railways (Pramath S B/Wikimedia Commons) Snapshot The Indian Railways (IR) - the fourth-longest railway system in the world - is a mega-consumer of fossil fuel in India, in the form of diesel. For India to significantly reduce its carbon footprint, it is imperative for IR to rework their incoming energy sources and consumption efficiency. IR's electrification program will significantly reduce operations costs, enable heavier train loads, allow longer and faster journeys, and reduce overall energy consumption. Most countries across the planet are now concerned about climate change as the impact of unprecedented carbonisation of the atmosphere becomes more evident.