General Discussion

I have noticed a significant increase in train traffic, will we be seeing a decrease in semi-traffic?

 Heres my reasoning.

1) Everyone is freaking out about gas prices.

2) One intermodal train with 2 SD70M's can haul what 150 Semis can

3) Doesn't this mean that trains are more efficent that trucks?

4) Although you need the trucks to transport the goods to the businesses.

 

What are your views on this?

 

Best regards,

Mike

I think so. The advantages of rail can't be ignored. The one big advantage that trucks have...door to door service... is less of an advantage today given that so much freight is containerized now...

I believe that over the next five to ten years we will see unprecedented growth in rail volumes. We will see growth in major railports, and the trucking industry will become less longhaul in nature and more of a container drayage service.

High fuel prices, environmental concerns, and labor shortages all work against the trucking industry today. The writing is on the wall.

You're a bit late, the "comeback" started over 10 years ago.

Dave H.

If you use ton miles delivered, there was never a comback because there was never a gone away!  But seriously, there has been an upturn in rail usage over the past ten or so years, not so much because of fuel efficiency and economy as much as it has been the shortage of truck drivers and road congestion.  Now the fuel costs are beginning to kick in as truck drivers are either backing off to 60 or less mph, or are driving less or not at all because of the cost of diesel fuel.  Therefore those still in business at the beginning of the next working day are getting the trade.  So by your numbers: 1). Yeah, but who is doing anything about it? 2) At least. 3) Always was by emission standards and effeciency of fuel to tonnage. 4) Yeah, so, we got technology for that, and finally a mindset that matches!

But for short hauls...moves under 300 miles...trucks are more efficient. And since about 75% of all freight is short hop, trucking isn't going to disapppear anytime soon.

But there are some who feel that might be changing, too.  Our whole transportation system and philosophy in this country has to be rethought all the way through and revamped.  The fact that diesel fuel are costing more and more, for instance, could be that 300 miles (already down from 500) could be coming down even more in the near a future.

BTW, in this vein, I believe JB Hunt is looking to increase its use of intermodal rail.

Oil prices worldwide are likely to stay high, whether we like it or not. We may well see a return to some sort of LCL traffic, all over the industrialised nations.

 Dennis

I wonder if Amtrak will start to have Mail cars on the back of their trains.  Or material handeling cars again?

Privately held railroads don't want it to happen and under this administration and a longer termed Republican Congress, it was taken away from Amtrak.  But it may be an opportunity for some marketing whizz at one of the Class I's to come up with something to take the  money from the government and put it in private hands.  I don't think Amtrak's strength in Congress could get that work (and income) back. Yet.

Centralizing industry better around rail heads would help make trains be more able to deliver better.  Also would create less long haul wich would keep trucks in the picture.   Up to now alot of product and materials are transported to all kind of random destinations in the country with little thought, and it works as long as fuel is cheap and plenty of labour.    But that's changing. 

 

 

 

The Amtrak station agent at Joliet has been there almost since I started railfanning, and he said this year he is so busy with Amtrak tickets that he barely has any time to do anything else, and looking at Amtrak's site when we were looking up trains to St. Louis for our trip, it was hard not to find something on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor that was sold out. Without a doubt current gas prices are helping Amtrak big time.

EJE818 wrote:

The Amtrak station agent at Joliet has been there almost since I started railfanning, and he said this year he is so busy with Amtrak tickets that he barely has any time to do anything else, and looking at Amtrak's site when we were looking up trains to St. Louis for our trip, it was hard not to find something on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor that was sold out. Without a doubt current gas prices are helping Amtrak big time.

 

I think they have lowered their ticket prices somewhat, about 2 years ago, a ticket to Chicago from St. Louis at 4 something or other in the morning, was $70 I think, now its $45?

Any who, I loved reading all these responses, if you have anything you would like to share, hit us!

 

Best regards,

Mike