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Pastimes : coug's news and views -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: coug who wrote (2606)	3/18/2008 10:46:24 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3961

It shows that rail freight tonnage percentage of total freight tonnage has increased in the US since 1970 (which surprised me) while in the EU it has declined (which doesn't). The figures for both have dropped a lot since 1950 (but the 1950 and 1960 totals are calculated differently, they don't include pipeline and water borne transport, which makes the numbers large and not easily comparable) It breaks down the different reasons and calculates how big of factor each one is. The biggest single factor is as you expected the distance factor. Another factor is the fact that the way the coasts of Europe are set up makes water transportation easier for goods and commodities going to a larger portion of the market. Another one is the mix of commodities in Europe on the whole is slightly less suited for rail. Other factors include the priority given to passenger rail in Europe, issues with interoperability at the borders, longer trains in the US (although that's as much an effect of reduced rail freight tonnage as it is a cause), and deregulation in the US.