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Thing is, freight trains are a far better use of the track than passenger trains: the system is ideal for slow-moving bulk cargo that doesn't care if it has to
by 13thLetter 11y ago
Thing is, freight trains are a far better use of the track than passenger trains: the system is ideal for slow-moving bulk cargo that doesn't care if it has to sit on a siding for a week, not to mention that it's a much less damaging way of moving heavy material around than trucks. Passengers, meanwhile, want to go specific places at specific times, and that just does not coexist well with freight. Better for passengers to travel by air, private car, dedicated high-speed rail, and other systems focused on the job.
- oasisbob 11y agoThis argument neglects the fact that the railroads have no problem moving high-priority Z trains just fine. If UPS can ship Amazon prime packages overnight via rail, I have a hard time buying the argument that I should be taking a flight from Portland to Vancouver because the system can't handle it.
- 13thLetter 11y ago"High priority Z trains" still take three to six days to get to their destination. Freight schedules are unpredictable, and that's fine, because freight doesn't care. Passengers do care. > I have a hard time buying the argument that I should be taking a flight from Portland to Vancouver because the system can't handle it. Do you really want to sit overnight from Portland to Vancouver on a train as opposed to flying there in an hour and twenty minutes? Most people don't.