bgum wrote:
We already have a 99 car train that is operated by one person. Why are we not shipping more by train.
The trucks are so big they dominate highways and streets in towns. Those streets were never intended to have trucks that long be used as delivery vans/trucks.
The railroads are interested in dedicated trains like chemicals, grain, crude oil, etc where they pick up 100-150 cars at one point run them to another point, unhook, grab the empties bring back to the loading point, rinse and repeat.
They don't want individual car loads any more and they don't want to build cars anymore. It's inefficient and takes away from much more profitable business. There is no spare capacity on the rails, anyway.
Also shippers can send 20 pallets on a truck and make delivery at multiple destinations in a MUCH more timely manner. Having freight on the railroad in individual carlots is not for the feint of heart.
