Environmental Benefits of Rail Transport

Regardless of theories on global warming, it is a fact that humans are currently exceeding the stored energy reserves on earth. Rail transportation uses less energy than buses, cars and planes. A historical precedent was set when our founders layed out rail lines and cities flourished around them. In closing the gap between a transportation that was once mighty and the rebuilding of rail lines throughout the country, here are some observations and figures on transportation, and stories on the return of rail transportation.

US News And World Report July 10, 2008 Editorial "Stop the Energy Insanity" reccomends:

"2. Fix our mass transit system for both freight and passengers. When you consider rail in terms of energy, steel wheels on steel rails are some 10 times as efficient as rubber on roads. A real rail program could probably have the single greatest impact on our oil consumption and on the release of carbon dioxide. A single locomotive run by two men can haul the same amount of freight as 70 modern semitrailer truck rigs with 70 drivers. One passenger train can take 1,000 cars off the road." read the full report at [1]

A study of fuel usage in cars, planes, bus and train is at [Article: Energy Efficiency of different modes of transportation]

Here is an article not just about a transortation improvement project. "It started with the big lie of American culture: railroad are out of date" . This excellent editorial is at [Dec 4, 2007 Seattle Time editorial]

The California High Speed Rail Propsisition passed by a slim margin in 2008. Special inerest groups include NIMBY's, the Union Pacific Railroad to name just two in the San Francisco to San Jose Corridor.