Trains and trucks
Summary
Both rail and trucking are facing extraordinarily rapid innovations in powertrain technologies, embracing a variety of energy types, with a growing pressure from both customers and regulators to move toward zero- emission transport. Mike Iden, a rail industry consultant at Tier 5 Locomotive LLC, provided an excellent overview of zero-emission railroad propulsion options, stating that there is “no silver bullet,” no “winner take all” technology unlike when diesel-electric displaced steam in the 1950s — known as dieselization. Lessons learned from large new truck installations such as those being highlighted in NACFE’s new Run on Less – Electric DEPOT demonstration could also be relevant to new zero-emission rail projects, particularly dealing with utilities, planning commissions, permitting, and environmental justice. Chambers, intermodal division manager, asking, “Where will the Southern be when truck fleets become too energy-inefficient for long hauls?” The advertisement goes on to quote federal estimates that by 1990 railroads will have 24% of the freight market. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) history factsheet states, “Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the rapid growth of truck and barge competition (aided by tens of billions of dollars in federal funding for construction of the interstate highway and inland waterway systems) and huge ongoing losses in passenger operations led to more railroad bankruptcies, service abandonments and deferred maintenance.” Rail lost significant market share to trucks over time.