Photograph by Lance Adkins
Longtime Cincinnati Zoo visitors may have noticed a lack of suffocating diesel smoke in the air in the last couple of years. This is thanks to the new and improved Safari Train. In a combined effort to rejuvenate the locomotive and reduce emissions, the original gas-powered vehicle was replaced with an electric one. The new train is greener both literally and environmentally.
In accordance with the zoo’s NetZero goal (to achieve net zero energy, waste, and water status), the Safari Train is completely powered by the solar panels in the parking lot. “By getting the new train, we’ve reduced our carbon dioxide emissions by 15 metric tons per year,” says Cincinnati Zoo Sustainability Manager Megan O’Keefe. “That’s the equivalent of driving 40,000 miles.”
In addition to reducing emissions, the electric train reduces cost—the zoo now saves around $35,000 every year on fuel and maintenance. Visitors also seem to appreciate the greener fume-free experience. Total ridership on the electric train in 2023 was 530,000, which blows the old diesel-fueled ridership record of 490,000 out of the water. If you want to take a spin on the new Safari Train, you can buy a ticket for $5.
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