tony Wrote:
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> The lead out of the Gasoline was the big change
> here in So Calif.

The elimination of the lead in gasoline was a good thing, in and off itself. However, the elimnation of leaded gasoline was necessary to introduce two way and then three way catalytic converters. Catalytic converters dramatically reduced CO and unoxidized hydrocarbons, and later with three way catalyst's in the 1980's nitrous oxides emissions.

Hydrocarbons and NOX react in the sunlight to create ozone, which was a big cause of visible smog, and is a severe lung irritant in high amounts. NOX also cause lung impairment as fine particulate dust.

When you look at the data from the 1980's you see the dramatic reductions in ozone exceedence which were over 300 days a year in the 60's at levels four to six times greater than our worst exceedences, today.

Diesel engines in locomotives (and prime movers for trucks, buses, and construction equipment), which was the original subject of this post, are primarily sources of NOX and fine particulates, not hydrocarbons, so the NOX does create ozone. But, one of the main health threats reduced, is now when you are following a naturaul gas powered garbage truck, or a bus, you are not sucking in massive amounts of fine (and carcinogenic) particulates.

Do any of you remember riding your bike or motorcycle behind a bus in those "bad old days"?

While ozone is a extreme irritant in high amounts, particulates do much more seriou permananent lung damage. But, none of these are "greenhouse" gases.

So, of course, has nothing to do with the mindless nonsensical troll "meme" about Al Gore, since none of these pollutants, which are health related impacts in the Federal Cean Air Act "Tiered" diesel reduction measures, have anything to do with controlling CO2 and/or GHG causing hydorcarbons. Which, given the usual low troll level of technical, political, and historical ignorance, is not really very surprising.

In fact, CO in catalytic converters is actually oxidized to create relatively "harmless" (from a relative public health standpoint) into CO2 (which, in increasing accumulations can raise atmospheric tempreature). Fuel consumption and oxidation primarily create H2O and CO2 as the main "non health threatening" byproducts, and catalysts do nothing to reduce those emissions. So these locomotive issues on health criteria pollutants do little for reducing greenhouse gases. These diesel emission rules have an impact in adding better quality years to our lives, but don't do much about global warming causes.