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We call that a "train". Steel wheels on steel rails just works better over long distances. Then trucks to haul from station to individual loading docks. I al
by VLM 12y ago
We call that a "train". Steel wheels on steel rails just works better over long distances. Then trucks to haul from station to individual loading docks. I also live about 25 miles from a small port that on rare occasion does get container freight traffic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_freight_transport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_freight_transport
Lots of existing infrastructure for this, cheaper to use than to put AI in each truck.
- angry_octet 12y agoI'd love to agree because rail is beautiful. However rail is even more over regulated than trucking. Also it requires massive capital investments, both in the rail system and operators to get economies of scale, which causes problems with monopolistic pricing. Also the trucking industry has huge $$$ influence on politicians. On the plus side for rail, high speed automated container systems could significantly reduce delays, automate shunting yards, etc. The difference between automated docks like Rotterdam and the manual way trains are loaded is stark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxXZQ7emHC0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxXZQ7emHC0 http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/35955-extreme-engineering-loading-container-train-video.htm http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/35955-extreme-engi... The use of driver-less trains is feasible, but the rail network (especially signalling) in America is so antiquated. Perhaps outsource it to the Netherlands... Automated rail container system fails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7I4wa1gpoc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7I4wa1gpoc