Does anyone know why we do not use the rail system to transport our food products more.?

Question

I think that we should transport our food products more by rail the cost savings would be tremendous.

Answer 1

We do not have enough rail head hubs.  I think that will be the future. When one truck has an accident it rarely makes the news except in the area it is in.  When a freight train has an accident it makes the news.  The trucks are perceived as safer.  If we used more rail we would have to change the employment situation of a lot of people.

Answer 2

Because truck transportation is cheaper and it goes more places.

Answer 3

Processed goods ( ready to buy) are not hauled as much. The RR's do haul the semi trailers on flat cars. There still many bulk food items that are still transported by rail such as grain, wheat, corn, just to name a few.

Answer 4

I take it you are not in Canada, as a lot of container trains here, do carry food products.

It is cheaper as a train can carry far more than a truck. (one truck = 30 tonnes, one train 9000+ tonnes).

A train does not need to really stop for the crew to have a break as they are changed off at regular intervals.

Answer 5

you are right, truck transport costs a lot more

and uses many times more fuel

however, there is a time factor, trucks can take a dedicated load from one place directly to another with very little delay

Railroads can only do that with very large shippers that can generate enough loads to have a dedicated train.

Answer 6

There is no longer one full track of railroad, say from NY to CA, a lot are privately owned.  So this makes it harder to plan routes and also a lot more expensive.  Some owners will not let their tracks be used also, so another handicap.

Answer 7

what country are you talking about?

Answer 8

The rail system is used to haul bulk agricultural products.  The drawback is that the need for grain cars is seasonal.  Conversely, coal hoppers and fuel tankers are used year-round.  Rail companies tend to be running very short on train crews as it is.  Adding more trains to the regular schedule would be very expensive in the face of the train crew shortages.