Since I know a little about trucks I will try and answer some of that.For every hopper bottom railroad car you see holds about the same as 4 trucks.So say you had 100 hoppers of corn on a train,would be about the same as 400 trucks hauling corn.I dont know how much fuel a train uses,but a truck uses about 100 gallons a day and can go 700 miles,in 10 hours.I doubt a train can go much more than 60 MPH,and in mountains lots slower than a truck,of course fast down the other side.Anyway say on flat ground a train can do real good and run 700 miles in 10 hours.All thats needed now is how many gallons of fuel it takes to move a train 700 miles on flat ground.My guess is 1/2 the fuel it takes 400 trucks.If I can go 700 miles on 100 gallons of fuel in a truck,moving say 50,000lbs,700 miles a day,or 1400 miles with a team in 24 hours(and 200 gallons of fuel),I think the train is going to be quite a ways back there.Say the train does 1000 miles in 24 hours,somehow I doubt that even.So just a real rough guess,Im thinking it takes somewhere between half the fuel to run the train,maybe less than that.One of the new locomotives holds 5500 gallons of fuel,say you have 4 0n the train that would be 22000 gallons,the 400 trucks use 40000 gallons per 700 miles,dont know how far the train can go on 22000 gallons of fuel though.Trains cannot go everywhere a truck can,so there always will be a percentage of travel a load must be on a truck,some things would rot before a train got them there,so that has to be considered.Trucks have their place,trains have theirs.Sure more could be put on trains,but it would overload the system they have and be even less efficient.Trains take a good while to load and unload,costing quite a bit in labor most of the time.Then if you were able to put everything on trains,you would put 8 million truck drivers out of work,and there would be truck stops,tire dealers,just a lot more people out of work as well.That would be devastating to the economy worse than the automakers.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Show Coverage: Central Illinois Strawberry Festival - by Cindy Ladage and Janna Seiz. Every year the coming of summer is highlighted by different events for different people. For some, it is heralded with the end of school, tilling the garden, or completion of the planting season. To us, connoisseurs of find food, antique tractors, farm toys, crafts, and downright fun, the annual Strawberry Festival means summer is here. Every year, in Carlinville, Illinois, the Macoupin County Historical Society and the Macoupin Agricultural Antique Association team up to fill th
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
