4 ms·

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_trains https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_trains it seems the longest US train ever had ~700 containers

guidopallemans 6y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_container_ships https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_container_ship... I don't think that this comparison is the best way of looking at it, but FWIW, the largest container ships can haul just shy of 24k containers.
- briffle 6y ago
  Those are '20-foot equivalent Containers' so more like half that. But then you have to factor in the loading time, unloading time, space needed, cost, etc. I see it kind of like a station wagon full of tapes, versus a fast internet pipe. The station wagon can possibly move more, but has much, much more latency. (and that analogy doesn't account for the time to load/unload the tapes onto the computer systems)
  - dghlsakjg 6y ago
    There is also the basic fact that many routes are mutually exclusive. Denver to LA will never be viable by ship. Shenzhen to LA will never be viable by train.
    - throwaway-571 6y ago
      Maybe one day they will build the bering straight tunnel!
    - wahern 6y ago
      > Shenzhen to LA will never be viable by train Probably, but a certain breed of politician (across nationalities) keeps the dream alive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing#21st_century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing#21st_ce...
  - greedo 6y ago
    Isn't unloading train cars also a similar time constraint?
    - Scoundreller 6y ago
      It can help that they arrive in 1d instead of 3d.
Animats 6y ago
The limit is siding length. Eventually you have to park the thing somewhere. There are some super-long trains used by bulk carriers on dedicated track. The Union Pacific ran a 3.4 mile long container train once, from Texas to LA. Double-stacked containers at reasonably high speed. There were locomotives spaced throughout the train, all under control from the head end. There's a video.[1] Worked fine, but got political attention due to long grade crossing blockage. [1] https://youtu.be/jdIzRFOaTCY https://youtu.be/jdIzRFOaTCY
- AnimalMuppet 6y ago
  Siding length isn't an issue if the line is double-tracked the whole way.
  - Animats 6y ago
    If there are any problems, lack of a siding somewhere nearby leaves the main line blocked. Also, at the destination, you need some place to put the thing, except for bulk mine trains which go round and round a loop.
    - AnimalMuppet 6y ago
      On a double-tracked line, lack of a siding somewhere nearby leaves one of the two main lines blocked. That's still serious, but less than what you are saying.
- elygre 6y ago
  An unexpected discovery from that video was how many Evergreen containers there were. Suddenly I see them everywhere!
  - bombcar 6y ago
    The one I always see (and keep an eye out for) is the TEX containers - I like to think of it as TeX as in LaTeX :)

guidopallemans 6y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_container_ships https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_container_ship... I don't think that this comparison is the best way of looking at it, but FWIW, the largest container ships can haul just shy of 24k containers.

briffle 6y ago
Those are '20-foot equivalent Containers' so more like half that. But then you have to factor in the loading time, unloading time, space needed, cost, etc. I see it kind of like a station wagon full of tapes, versus a fast internet pipe. The station wagon can possibly move more, but has much, much more latency. (and that analogy doesn't account for the time to load/unload the tapes onto the computer systems)
- dghlsakjg 6y ago
  There is also the basic fact that many routes are mutually exclusive. Denver to LA will never be viable by ship. Shenzhen to LA will never be viable by train.
  - throwaway-571 6y ago
    Maybe one day they will build the bering straight tunnel!
  - wahern 6y ago
    > Shenzhen to LA will never be viable by train Probably, but a certain breed of politician (across nationalities) keeps the dream alive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing#21st_century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bering_Strait_crossing#21st_ce...
- greedo 6y ago
  Isn't unloading train cars also a similar time constraint?
  - Scoundreller 6y ago
    It can help that they arrive in 1d instead of 3d.

Animats 6y ago

The limit is siding length. Eventually you have to park the thing somewhere. There are some super-long trains used by bulk carriers on dedicated track. The Union Pacific ran a 3.4 mile long container train once, from Texas to LA. Double-stacked containers at reasonably high speed. There were locomotives spaced throughout the train, all under control from the head end. There's a video.[1] Worked fine, but got political attention due to long grade crossing blockage. [1] https://youtu.be/jdIzRFOaTCY https://youtu.be/jdIzRFOaTCY

AnimalMuppet 6y ago
Siding length isn't an issue if the line is double-tracked the whole way.
- Animats 6y ago
  If there are any problems, lack of a siding somewhere nearby leaves the main line blocked. Also, at the destination, you need some place to put the thing, except for bulk mine trains which go round and round a loop.
  - AnimalMuppet 6y ago
    On a double-tracked line, lack of a siding somewhere nearby leaves one of the two main lines blocked. That's still serious, but less than what you are saying.
elygre 6y ago
An unexpected discovery from that video was how many Evergreen containers there were. Suddenly I see them everywhere!
- bombcar 6y ago
  The one I always see (and keep an eye out for) is the TEX containers - I like to think of it as TeX as in LaTeX :)