Do trains use a lot of fuel?

According to the AAR, moving freight by rail is 3 - 4 times more fuel efficient than moving freight on the highway. Efficient use of fuel means fewer greenhouse gas emissions for our planet. (Learn more at the Association of American Railroads' website, http://www.aar.org/.)



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Freight trains in the US are often powered by two or more diesel units, each about 4400 horsepower. Those units are each supposed to burn around 210 US gallons per hour when they're producing full power.

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For a fuel cost of $0.84 per liter of diesel ($3.17 per gallon) (AAR (2012b)), this results in an average running fuel cost of $185 per locomotive-hour. If actual train and operation data are available, energy models or rail simulators may provide more accurate fuel use values for specific conditions.

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If we take an overall view of the transport sector, 71% of transportation related carbon emissions come from road users, whereas only 1.8% of emissions stem from rail travel. So in absolute terms, trains are responsible for a lot less emissions than cars.

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If price is the deciding factor, the car trip will usually be the cheaper one for anything more than a single passenger or a single passenger with infant child in tow. (Kids under two generally ride the train free.)

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Bicycle. A standard lightweight, moderate-speed bicycle is one of the most energy-efficient forms of transport. Compared with walking, a 64 kg (140 lb) cyclist riding at 16 km/h (10 mph) requires about half the food energy per unit distance: 27 kcal/km, 3.1 kW·h (11 MJ) per 100 km, or 43 kcal/mi.

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In fact, trains can haul one ton of goods an average of more than 480 miles on just a single gallon of fuel, making them 3-4 times more fuel efficient than trucks. Freight rail is the most fuel-efficient way to transport freight over land, and railroads continue to invest in technology to reduce fuel consumption.

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“Generally speaking, traveling by plane is faster and more convenient, but can be more expensive and stressful. On the other hand, traveling by train is usually cheaper and more comfortable, but can take much longer.”

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Compared to other popular forms of travel, such as cars, ships, buses, and planes, trains are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States.

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Flying may be bad for the environment, but taking the train in Europe is bad for your bank account, a new study found. Rail travel within the Continent remains 71 percent more expensive than flying, according to research by Greenpeace.

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The best way to travel around Italy, if you mainly want to visit the cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, is by train. Italy has an extensive network of both fast speed inter-city trains and regional services that connect the smaller cities and towns.

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Trains are Reliable and Stress Free With high-speed rail, train travel is always faster than driving. In many cases, it's even faster than flying, once you factor in the whole air travel song-and-dance. And if you do need to catch a plane, trains make it easier to get to the airport.

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Trains offer greater flexibility at each stage of the journey, making family train travel easier and less stressful than flying. Children can move around more freely than on a plane, and you'll have the space to pack home comforts.

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If we take an overall view of the transport sector, 71% of transportation related carbon emissions come from road users, whereas only 1.8% of emissions stem from rail travel. So in absolute terms, trains are responsible for a lot less emissions than cars.

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Finally, the plane is the most polluting means of transport and the one that generates the most greenhouse emissions.

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Besides walking and biking, traveling by train remains one of the greenest and most environment-friendly options when getting around. Regardless if electric or diesel-powered, trains emit between 66 and 75 percent fewer carbon emissions when compared to cars and airplanes.

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