Trains used to be the primary mode of transportation in America. That all changed after World War II, with the rise of the automobile. When once America was home to the ten fastest trains in the world, now it has just a single train that could be called “high speed.” But while our passenger trains have long been neglected, freight trains have improved by leaps and bounds.
The Association of American Railroads issued a press release stating that in 2009, freight trains across the country average 480 ton-miles per gallon. Since 1980, freight train fuel efficiency has increased by 104%. (more…)