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Why do railroads run intermodal so fast?
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Whew... let's take in some slack here... <br /> <br />I see mega widget INC in middle USA somewhere taking in parts from China. They will call thier agent in some trade tower somewhere. That agent decides how the shipment will get from China to the customer. <br /> <br />I think it costs x number of dollars to place the containers on a shipping line. And another x number of dollars for either trucking or train (Or both if inland container ports are used) The cheapest method gets the call. <br /> <br />Regarding ship speeds, I study military history as a rank ametuar who knows nothing about that subject. Our Merchant Marine did pretty well at 15 knots during world war two. But 24 knots is more beneficial in cutting transit times. <br /> <br />To get 30 knots on a warship is a special problem requiring massive engineering on a huge scale. Lucky for us we can drive carriers at speeds that are perhaps over 40 knots. No one will clarify the top speed as it is useful to the enemy in deciding how long before we confront him with a carrier battle group that is capable of displacing 1000 miles or more each 24 hours. <br /> <br />Cargo ships have a different impact on the ocean and different problems than a warship and it will take a bit of power to get them to "Get up and run" I believe there were ships built that are capable of very high speeds but commerically did not really take effect. <br /> <br />Take the cruise lines. We are building and deploying cruise ships larger than the Nimitz Class Carriers and capable of transporting thousands of people in luxury that would make Cunard or White Star of the Titanic days envious. Not to mention the sheer profit in having so much paying cargo on board. <br /> <br />These cruise ships have the technology so that ONE man on the bridge can park it within 1 meter of the dock in the tightest of places such as Miami without assistance of tugs. He would use a variety of GPS sensors and a single joystick to do the task. <br /> <br />But I am getting away from the cargo here. I think it benefits shipping to carry a massive load of cargo any distance. I dont think 15 knots or 24 knots really matter much. <br /> <br />If we had 50 knot cargo ships, the goods will cost more and people will be more stressed getting the greater volume of goods thru the ports which appear to be pretty busy already. <br /> <br />The topic of this thread is why are customers SO demanding of getting thier goods delievered ASAP!! as in within hours of a ship's arrival.. Never mind the fact that box sat on the ship for 30 days as it floated across the ocean. <br /> <br />The answer I think lies within us as a people. <br /> <br />Example.. You order a Model Locomotive of your dreams. You are told it will take a few weeks. <br /> <br />Each day you wait on that order you wonder if they shipped it yet but not really concerned. <br /> <br />The day you are notified that the order has shipped and on it's way to you... you WILL find yourself camping at the end of your mailbox waiting for UPS, Fed Ex or whatever to get the package to you ASAP! You might sneak home from work early to see if it hit your porch yet. <br /> <br />I think this also infects customers who expect thier freight yesterday. <br /> <br />I had one onion load from Seattle to the Boston Market. It took me 4 days as a single driver to make it in the dead of winter with ice and big snow in the north. <br /> <br />The owner of the onions shouted in my ear... YOU ARE TOO (Insert degradatory word) SLOW!! I could have (Insert different option) gotten them onions here faster. <br /> <br />I suspect you can load 44,000 pounds of onions on AIR CARGO and landed the darn thing 8 hours later on his market stall and he will STILL yell about how slow you were.
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