-
-
Railroads: A nineteenth century technology that can save 21st century resources
Over the past few months, the gas crisis has inspired an endless parade of suggestions for reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. From opening offshore drilling to distilling ethanol to fast-tracking a fuel-cell car program, there has been no lack of plans for cutting oil imports. Ironically, while these impressive, innovative solutions have crowded the news, relatively little attention has been paid to one of America's most energy efficient forms of shipping and transportation: railways.
Every day, tons of goods are moved across the United States. Most of this shipping is done by truck, resulting in the consumption of millions of gallons of fuel and the release of thousands of tons of exhaust. While container shipping and America's vast network of highways make trucking the simplest form of shipping, it is also among the most expensive.
One solution to this problem would be the increased use of rail shipping. According to the Association of American Railroads, U.S. railroads use, on average, only one gallon of fuel to move a ton of freight over 436 miles. This represents an 85% increase in efficiency since 1980, and is, according to AAR President Edward R. Hamberger, "three or four times more fuel efficient than trucks." Other sources claim that the difference is even more dramatic; Treehugger, for example, states that trucks can move a ton of freight only 59 miles on a gallon of gas, which would make railroads seven times more fuel efficient than trucks. Regardless, Hamberger goes on to note that "if just 10% of the freight currently moving by truck went instead by rail, the nation could save one billion gallons of fuel by year."
With that in mind, it seems mind-boggling that the vast majority of the United States' goods aren't moved by rail. According to Ted Michon, a noted rail consultant,"the class one railroads - and there are five of them - are currently working at or over capacity." Any expansion of operations will require a significant investment in locomotives, rail yards, and track. In the case of locomotives, this means placing orders several months ahead of time, in the hopes that the demand for increased rail service will remain consistent. Similarly, laying track and building rail yards also requires considerable advance planning. Unfortunately, fluctuations in the price of oil could alter consumer demand, undermining the cost-effectiveness of rail shipping.
Ultimately, the biggest roadblock to more widespread rail usage is America's lack of a long-term transportation policy. Unfortunately, as Michon notes, "Every major change in transportation policy has been caused by a crisis." This certainly is true of major expenditures in highways and airports; presumably, it will also be played out in the matter of rail infrastructure. While there isn't much that the average citizen can do to increase rail usage, it's worth paying attention to the rhetoric being employed by the major parties as we get closer to the next Presidential election. When political candidates speak out against rail infrastructure, they are, effectively, endorsing a more expensive and wasteful transportation policy!
by Bruce Watson Over the past few months, the gas crisis has inspired an endless parade of suggestions for reducing America's dependence on forei... more -
China set to unveil high-speed train for Games
China - With its swivel seats, spacious, plush interiors and the largest railway station in Asia, China has high hopes for a new express link from Beijing to nearby Tianjin, the fastest rail service on the planet.
The railway will open next Friday, in time for next month's Beijing Olympics, and will shuttle people to soccer events in Tianjin, one of the Games' co-host cities.
It will chop one hour off the current rail journey, reducing it to a 30-minute hop, taking passengers at a top speed of 220 mph on special sleek trains with interiors that look more like aircraft cabins.
Reporters were given a sneak preview of the ultra-modern trains on a government-organized trip on Tuesday, zipping through the lush countryside past massive housing developments and deserted highways.
"This is a revolution in terms of ramping up the speed of Chinese railways," Railway Ministry spokesman Wang Yongping told reporters at the cavernous new Beijing South railway station, which he said was the largest in Asia.
Trains can run on the $2.93 billion new Tianjin line every three minutes, and each train can carry around 600 people between landlocked Beijing and its port city neighbor. China - With its swivel seats, spacious, plush interiors and the largest railway station in Asia, China has high hopes for a new expre... more -
L.A. to S.F. High Speed Rail
A proposed high-speed rail network linking Southern California and Northern California will reach the Bay Area via Pacheco Pass, after approval of an environmental impact report Wednesday by the California High-Speed Rail Authority's governing board.
The 800-mile system will come from Southern California through the San Joaquin Valley, then cut westward through Merced and Santa Clara counties, with a stop in Gilroy before continuing to stops in San Jose and San Francisco.
"It's a mixture of elation and relief, in that we have taken so long to get this passed," said board member Rod Diridon of San Jose, one of the system's most vocal boosters.
The next step toward building the 200 mph-plus train system would be the passage of the $10 billion Proposition 1 bond measure on the Nov. 4 ballot, which would pay nearly a third of the cost of the system's "spine" from Anaheim to San Francisco. High-speed rail officials promise the remaining money would come from private investment and federal high-speed rail legislation Congress is now considering. A proposed high-speed rail network linking Southern California and Northern California will reach the Bay Area via Pacheco Pass, after... more -
Pledge to vote for High Speed Rail in California!
Vote YES on the California High Speed Rail Bond Measure in the November general election!
-
$45 million, 300 mph train. Tell me what you think.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Friday that frees up $45 million for the futuristic project.
Derided by critics as pie in the sky, the train would use magnetic levitation technology to carry passengers from Disneyland to Las Vegas in well under two hours, traveling at speeds of up to 300 mph. It would be the first MagLev system in the U.S.
The money is the largest cash infusion in the project's nearly 20-year history. It will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project.
The money had been delayed by a drafting error in Congress' 2005 highway bill, which was corrected along with some other changes by the legislation signed Friday by Bush. The delay had allowed a competing and cheaper diesel-electric plan to emerge as an alternative, but with the money now freed up supporters hope to move forward with the MagLev plan.
The train is meant to ease traffic on increasingly clogged Interstate 15, the main route for the millions of Southern Californians who make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. There is no train on the route—Amtrak's Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas was canceled in 1997 because of low ridership.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised passage of the law, saying the MagLev project "will safely and efficiently move people between Southern California and Las Vegas."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20... WASHINGTON (AP) - Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by Pre... more -
Levitating train from L.A. to Las Vegas gets boost
Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Friday that frees up $45 million for the futuristic project.
Derided by critics as pie in the sky, the train would use magnetic levitation technology to carry passengers from Disneyland to Las Vegas in well under two hours, traveling at speeds of up to 300 mph. It would be the first MagLev system in the U.S.
The money is the largest cash infusion in the project's nearly 20-year history. It will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project.
The money had been delayed by a drafting error in Congress' 2005 highway bill, which was corrected along with some other changes by the legislation signed Friday by Bush. The delay had allowed a competing and cheaper diesel-electric plan to emerge as an alternative, but with the money now freed up supporters hope to move forward with the MagLev plan.
The train is meant to ease traffic on increasingly clogged Interstate 15, the main route for the millions of Southern Californians who make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. There is no train on the route — Amtrak's Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas was canceled in 1997 because of low ridership.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised passage of the law, saying the MagLev project "will safely and efficiently move people between Southern California and Las Vegas." Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Fri... more -
California, we need this!
In these days of high gas prices and global warming, we need bold action. This November California will vote on a bond measure regarding high-speed rail. This is very exciting, and we need it to pass, for the sake of the country. Other countries have had extensive high-speed rail networks for decades, and the USA is in desperate need for this infrastructure. Check out the proposed routes, and let's get this measure passed! In these days of high gas prices and global warming, we need bold action. This November California will vote on a bond measure regardi... more
-
related topics
High Speed Rail
Contributors (46)
High Speed Rail
