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>If there was a direct and maintained electric train route What do you mean by this? Most US freight trains are already diesel electric. German freight uses ov

>If there was a direct and maintained electric train route What do you mean by this? Most US freight trains are already diesel electric. German freight uses overhead electric wires on most of the shared passenger rail network, which is great, but doesn’t make it any easier or faster to deliver freight to consumers. Are you thinking of high speed rail? Bullet and maglev trains aren’t used to deliver freight anywhere globally that I’m aware of.

Gud 19d ago
Diesel... electric. Now remove the word diesel. It reduces the carbon footprint considerably if you don't have to fill up your trains with carbon.
- derektank 18d ago
  Perhaps I misread the parent comment, but the emphasis on that clause seemed to be on the fresh produce, not the lower carbon emissions. I don’t know how swapping out for 100% electric improves people’s access to fresh produce is my point
  - Gud 17d ago
    Diesel electric are not at all the same as an electric train network. Electric trains have a very interesting property, as they work as a grid as both producers, feeding back when they are breaking. You made a second point, that most trains are already "diesel electric", I am pointing out, that the function is very different from an electric train, and much less friendly(and less efficient) to the environment.
yreg 18d ago
No, you don't need maglev to compete with a ship sailing from NZ on speed.
- pbmonster 18d ago
  But you would need maglev if you wanted to compete on energy per ton of cargo per mile. Ships are several times more efficient than classic trains.
  - yreg 18d ago
    NZ is also several times farther.
mschuster91 18d ago
Look around on youtube how dilapidated a lot of US freight rail is. I'm German, so I'm well used to dishing out on our railways, but at least our rails don't look like spaghetti that have been way overcooked and can only safely be driven at walking speed. And the amount of black smoke the locomotives emit when spinning up their old engines... wouldn't pass any emissions inspections here in Germany.
- weberer 18d ago
  American diesel emission standards are famously more strict than Germany's. That's the whole reason why diesel cars aren't as common in the USA, and why Volkswagen had to cheat to pass emissions tests.
  - mschuster91 18d ago
    Railways have emissions standards different from road vehicles. And VW cheated because they couldn't pass European regulations, the thing is that the big lawsuit took place in the US because US courts allow far bigger monetary amounts.
- bluGill 18d ago
  US rail is in great shape. You are confusing lines that are nearly abandoned and will be soon but they can take a couple more trips for the state of US rail. US rail is in great shape overall, and very well maintained. YouTube is not an unbiased source of information, please find a better source before making claims.
- hshdjdjdif 18d ago
  HN, where a german lectures you about emissions inspections lol lmao even

Gud 19d ago

Diesel... electric. Now remove the word diesel. It reduces the carbon footprint considerably if you don't have to fill up your trains with carbon.

derektank 18d ago
Perhaps I misread the parent comment, but the emphasis on that clause seemed to be on the fresh produce, not the lower carbon emissions. I don’t know how swapping out for 100% electric improves people’s access to fresh produce is my point
- Gud 17d ago
  Diesel electric are not at all the same as an electric train network. Electric trains have a very interesting property, as they work as a grid as both producers, feeding back when they are breaking. You made a second point, that most trains are already "diesel electric", I am pointing out, that the function is very different from an electric train, and much less friendly(and less efficient) to the environment.

yreg 18d ago

No, you don't need maglev to compete with a ship sailing from NZ on speed.

pbmonster 18d ago
But you would need maglev if you wanted to compete on energy per ton of cargo per mile. Ships are several times more efficient than classic trains.
- yreg 18d ago
  NZ is also several times farther.

mschuster91 18d ago

Look around on youtube how dilapidated a lot of US freight rail is. I'm German, so I'm well used to dishing out on our railways, but at least our rails don't look like spaghetti that have been way overcooked and can only safely be driven at walking speed. And the amount of black smoke the locomotives emit when spinning up their old engines... wouldn't pass any emissions inspections here in Germany.

weberer 18d ago
American diesel emission standards are famously more strict than Germany's. That's the whole reason why diesel cars aren't as common in the USA, and why Volkswagen had to cheat to pass emissions tests.
- mschuster91 18d ago
  Railways have emissions standards different from road vehicles. And VW cheated because they couldn't pass European regulations, the thing is that the big lawsuit took place in the US because US courts allow far bigger monetary amounts.
bluGill 18d ago
US rail is in great shape. You are confusing lines that are nearly abandoned and will be soon but they can take a couple more trips for the state of US rail. US rail is in great shape overall, and very well maintained. YouTube is not an unbiased source of information, please find a better source before making claims.
hshdjdjdif 18d ago
HN, where a german lectures you about emissions inspections lol lmao even