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In theory passenger trains are more energy efficient than cars, light trucks, and jet airplanes.  But are they in practice?  On Wednesday I rode the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) from Dallas to Fort Worth and back.   Approximately 30 per cent of the 3:05 p.m. train seats appeared to be occupied, which squares with some numbers that I had gotten from the TRE in 2006.  The returning rush hour train appeared to have a 50 to 60 per cent load factor, which is a bit lower than the average 80 per cent rush hour load factor that I calculated from the 2006 numbers, but it is in line with the Fort Worth numbers, which are lower than the Dallas numbers.  It is 33 rail miles from Dallas to Fort Worth.  It takes the TRE approximately 55 minutes to make the run.  The trains have two to four cars.  Each train lays over at its end point for an approximate average of 25 minutes.  Thus, 45 per cent of each run is spent idling, which clearly uses less fuel than running, but I wonder how much of the running energy efficiency is lost because of the end points dwell time. When I was in Albuquerque in May, I popped by the transit center on several occasions to observe Numbers 3 and 4.  Number 3 is scheduled for a 50 minute service stop in Albuquerque; Number 4 is carded for a 43 minute stop.  On both days Number 3 was early by an average of 25 minutes, thus making the average dwell time 75 minutes, whilst Number 4 was early by an average of 30 minutes, thus making the average stop 73 minutes.  The trains were pulled by at least two locomotives, although on one occasion Number 3 had three locos.  Again, I wonder how much of the running energy efficiency of the trains is negated by the relatively long layovers in Albuquerque. During FY08 the Southwest Chief had an average load factor of 63.1 per cent.  Overall, Amtrak's trains had an average load factor of 52.3 per cent, which brings me to these questions.  What criteria were used by those who claim that trains are more energy efficient than personal vehicles and airplanes to come to their conclusion?  And did they consider average load factor, dwell times, etc.?
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