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Can Cargo Sprinters be used here in the US?

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Well, here is your answer as to the proper market for this new system.  The advocacy behind this new push for rail to solve all environmental and energy problems wants to divide rail service into two tiers.  One tier would address the bulk materials hauling as usual, and the other would address the need to take on more urgent, time-sensitive hauling, which mostly moves by truck.   <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> This will divide freight rail service into two distinct classes of trains, known as Heavy Freight Rail (HFR), and Rapid Freight Rail (RFR).  RFR is designed to operate with lower weight capacity rolling stock loaded to 25 tons per axle versus 33 tons per axle for heavy freight railroads.  RFR moves at speeds up to 100 mph or more.  So you would have two entirely different forms of trains operating on a joint system. <o:p></o:p> The so-called Rapid Freight Rail is indeed the very type of concept that the Sprinter is targeted for, except that I would not want to be running the Sprinter at 100 mph.  So, the perfect embodiment of this new RFR train has not yet been fully developed.   But, at this moment, Rapid Freight Rail does not exist, so the Sprinter finds no application.   <o:p></o:p> Clearly RFR calls for an entirely new train made of lighter-weight / higher-strength materials, coupled with better power distribution, and more sophisticated braking systems. It brings sports car engineering to freight trains.   <o:p></o:p> If this dual mode vision comes to fruition, there will be the need to completely design from scratch, the lighter weight train for the Rapid Freight Rail application.  This is where contemporary railroading will take a radical departure in order to seek this new light and fast identity.   <o:p></o:p> Here is a blog piece that explores the details of RFR / HFR operating together as separate entities.     <o:p></o:p> <A href="http://midnight-populist.blogspot.com/2009/09/sunday-train-21st-century-steel.html">http://midnight-populist.blogspot.com/2009/09/sunday-train-21st-century-steel.html</A>
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