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Actually you can't, for a lot of goods. Reason is that the railroad won't give you the same guarantees and trackability a truck will. Example: you have refrig

Actually you can't, for a lot of goods. Reason is that the railroad won't give you the same guarantees and trackability a truck will. Example: you have refrigerated items (let's say a shipment of fresh fruit) that has to be maintained at a constant temperature and you want it delivered to your customer on Thursday when you ship Sunday night. Truck: not a problem, and you can easily get updates all the time from dispatch (or if there is a GPS unit on the truck, immediately). Railroad: maybe they will get it there, maybe they won't. If the railroad puts a refrigerator unit on your boxcar and it breaks down, too bad - they won't reimburse you. A trucking company will.

aidenn0 11y ago
> If the railroad puts a refrigerator unit on your boxcar and it breaks down, too bad - they won't reimburse you. A trucking company will. Insurance?
- _pmf_ 11y ago
  > Insurance? If the thing you insure against actually happens, premiums go up to the point of it being uneconomic.
amatix 11y ago
> Railroad: maybe they will get it there, maybe they won't. > If the railroad puts a refrigerator unit on your boxcar and it breaks down, too bad - they won't reimburse you. A trucking company will. Sounds like both of those are more to do with shit rail companies than inherent downsides of rail (or upsides of trucking)?
Symbiote 11y ago
Just in time delivery by rail works in Europe, perhaps because the track is maintained to a high standard and can be relied upon, and the timetable adhered to to avoid delaying passenger trains.
pm24601 11y ago
Sorry to burst your bubble here -- but the railroads were doing exactly that since the days of refrigeration via blocks of ice. ( http://californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=563 http://californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=56... ) > Now retired after more than 30 years in the produce business, Wolf noted that farmers began growing iceberg lettuce in the region just prior to the 1930s. The demand for the hearty lettuce variety soon took off through the use of refrigerated rail cars.

aidenn0 11y ago

> If the railroad puts a refrigerator unit on your boxcar and it breaks down, too bad - they won't reimburse you. A trucking company will. Insurance?

_pmf_ 11y ago
> Insurance? If the thing you insure against actually happens, premiums go up to the point of it being uneconomic.

amatix 11y ago

> Railroad: maybe they will get it there, maybe they won't. > If the railroad puts a refrigerator unit on your boxcar and it breaks down, too bad - they won't reimburse you. A trucking company will. Sounds like both of those are more to do with shit rail companies than inherent downsides of rail (or upsides of trucking)?

Symbiote 11y ago

Just in time delivery by rail works in Europe, perhaps because the track is maintained to a high standard and can be relied upon, and the timetable adhered to to avoid delaying passenger trains.

pm24601 11y ago

Sorry to burst your bubble here -- but the railroads were doing exactly that since the days of refrigeration via blocks of ice. ( http://californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=563 http://californiabountiful.com/features/article.aspx?arID=56... ) > Now retired after more than 30 years in the produce business, Wolf noted that farmers began growing iceberg lettuce in the region just prior to the 1930s. The demand for the hearty lettuce variety soon took off through the use of refrigerated rail cars.