Re: Re: Possible trucker strike

[Guest guest]

I've been following the train issue for a long time. What killed the trains was that they did not adopt new technology. When trucking companies were picking up computers and all that, the train companies ignored it. In the 1980's and there about they were taking a real beating and that is when they starting selling rails because it brought in some money.

The problem there is that trains are far more efficient at transporting goods than trucks. You've probably seen that GSX commercial where they say that a gallon of fuel can ship a ton of freight 400 miles. Its long been like that, far more efficient than trucks. The rising fuel costs have made trains much more attractive again.

You are right that the problem is a lack of rails now. It is next to impossible to buy back old railroad right of ways and lay track again. Usually that land is split up between countless new owners and some won't want to sell, and it will only take a few to kill the deal. So now the rail roads are paying the price for the quick bucks of selling that land.

The situation really is bad. Along the Gulf Coast, including inland for quite a distance, there are only two east/west primary lines. Both of those run through Mobile Alabama. The hotel I used to stay in while there looked right down on the track. Literally not more than 10 minutes would pass between trains. Even so, trains are stacked up for hours on sidings and that was 4 years ago. I have no idea what it is like since Hurricane Katrina, mostly because since then, Amtrak no longer runs between ville, Florida and New Orleans, that route that I took to get to my place in Alabama.

The railroads want to expand, but they can't for the reasons that I have mentioned. Maybe one day the government will use imminent domain to buy back some of the old right of ways. In other places, like Los Angeles, the ports are clogged because of limited rail access in and out of the port and there is no room to build more.

What I would like to have seen done back in the 1970's and 1980's was something like this:

Trains handle the long distance transportation of good to regional hubs. Truckers could then pick up freight at the hubs and transfer it to the local sites, say within about 200 miles or so. The distribution system would continue down until the goods were delivered to the end user.

This would have the effect of ending or strictly limiting long haul trucking, which would be a good thing because that is very hard on the drivers and it would keep them local so they could be with their families more, and it would be more efficient in terms of fuel usage. Since most cargo is containerized, this system would be very simple: just lift the containers off the trains and onto the trucks. I've seen this work from the hotel: right off the cargo ship in port, into the storage area, then onto trains and trucks. Very effective.

In a message dated 3/24/2008 5:26:51 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Another thing to keep in mind is that shipping by train has, until the past couple of years, gone down. Major railroads had been pulling up or abandoning tracks because business was down. Now they are having more business and trains are being delayed in many congested areas. The problem with shipping by train is that it takes longer to deliver. But the advantage to shipping by train is that it costs less in fuel, even when one considers that trucks will be needed to transport goods from depots to their points of destination.I'd be willing to wait an extra week to get something I ordered if it means I would pay less for it. I think if most consumers got used to the idea, the whole shipping system could be reorganizaed and we could all save fuel into the bargain, thereby being the demand down a bit...and fuel prices too.Unfortunately, to get the train system functioning optimally, they would first need to do some serious upgrades to abandoned and failing sections of tracks and build some new lines, and most train companies do not have the capital to do all that on the scale that is needed. The government is -arguably- broke, so it is doubtful they will fund this infrastructure rebuild, especially when it means so many additional workers (truckers) will wind up out of work. AdministratorCreate a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL Home.