Why is the increase in truck weights inevitable? Are not there enough other road users to stop it? Are not there locations where congestion is a problem now and would get worse if freight were diverted from rail to road? Isn't this one case where the entire rail industry and all its friends can make common cause with the average American car driver?
Start the campaigne now!
I have wondered if the quality of road construction in the US is as advanced as it could be? It seems that it doesn't take long for new pavement to start cracking up at concrete joints for instance.
EnzoampsTo be fair, lowest bidders are not bidding on building three foot thick highways. They build what is specified by the DOT.
And then get their sharp pencils reved up to cut corners on what is in the specs.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
To be fair, lowest bidders are not bidding on building three foot thick highways. They build what is specified by the DOT.
Flintlock76 zugmann Yeah, let's increase truck weight - since our roads are in such GREEEEEAAAT shape. I hope you get paid for these posts. Otherwise, I have zero clue why you're here. I don't know about the rest of Europe, but the concrete on Germany's Autobahn is three feet thick! It can take any pounding you throw at it. How many American highways are three feet thick? Not too many I'd guess.
zugmann Yeah, let's increase truck weight - since our roads are in such GREEEEEAAAT shape. I hope you get paid for these posts. Otherwise, I have zero clue why you're here.
Yeah, let's increase truck weight - since our roads are in such GREEEEEAAAT shape.
I hope you get paid for these posts. Otherwise, I have zero clue why you're here.
I don't know about the rest of Europe, but the concrete on Germany's Autobahn is three feet thick! It can take any pounding you throw at it.
How many American highways are three feet thick? Not too many I'd guess.
Lowest bidders don't build with 3 foot thick concrete.
Flintlock76How many American highways are three feet thick? Not too many I'd guess.
The Interstate System was originally built to handle M60 tanks and the like. Whether they are still capable of that will have to come from someone more familiar with such construction than moi.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
zugmannYeah, let's increase truck weight - since our roads are in such GREEEEEAAAT shape.
The problem is, it isn't up to your and I. The trucking industry and manufacturers are going to push hard for this. Truck weights in the US are already well below international standards.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Some of our posters at this site can surely find employment at the Class 1 with their "progressive skills" and save them from their demise. HA
Except for death, there are few things in life, especially economics, that are inevitable.
A study that predicts a drop of 25% to 60% is worthless. Anyone familiar with predictive analytics would ignore it straightaway.
"ttrraaffiicc" posted on Saturday, July 18, 2020 10:49 AM -- How is rail going to compete in this new environment? Every competitive advantage the industry once had is being stripped away. It is well on its way to becoming a mode of transport that is both slower and more expensive.
How is rail going to compete in this new environment? Every competitive advantage the industry once had is being stripped away. It is well on its way to becoming a mode of transport that is both slower and more expensive.
Well, you know what they say. "Whatever is best for the consumer, is best for America".
If they want to survive, the class 1's will have to overhaul their entire operating and customer service philosophy at some point. They'll need to get robust sales and service departments that actually serve the customers, and they'll have to run shorter and more frequent trains to ensure more timely service.
The question is whether they'll do any of that in time to avoid extinction. Bulk commodities are the low-hanging fruit for railroads, but a lot of that is going away and will never come back.
"And I'm hovering like a fly, waiting for the windshield on the freeway." https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/Study-shows-major-diversion-of-freight-from-rail-to-roads-if-bigger-trucks-allowed--60982 A recent study by the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks has revealed that if truck weight and size restrictions were relaxed, intermodal and carload traffic could drop by 25% or even as much as 60% in some scenarios. As much as people may not want to see weight limits increased, it is almost a guarantee that it will. The US lags behind much of the world in terms of truck weight, with Europe having a higher weight limit than the US. You can also be sure that trucking companies and shippers will fight hard to accomplish this goal. It is essentially inevitable, but as much as it may not be pleasant, as has been said in previous comments on this forums, even if railroad traffic were to dramatically decline, road traffic increase would be manageable. This study also demonstrates the point that intermodal has reached its zenith, with little to no growth venues left and that trucking is on course to take back what little share from the rails that it lost. Also in the news, TuSimple is planning to launch an automated truck network ahead of its fully autonomous commercial launch. https://venturebeat.com/2020/07/01/tusimple-plans-autonomous-truck-network-backed-by-ups/ Note how UPS is a very big backer of this. Don't expect to see their containers or trailers on the rails for much longer. How is rail going to compete in this new environment? Every competitive advantage the industry once had is being stripped away. It is well on its way to becoming a mode of transport that is both slower and more expensive. Railroads right now the hovering fly, waiting to be smacked down by the windshield of regulatory and technological advancement.
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