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Blecher_onthe_Hudson t1_ivhria4 wrote

Reply to comment by GoHuskies1984 in Turnpike Authority Forgot to Mention 10X Cheaper Option to Repair Turnpike Extension Bridge by jimmybot

That doesn't jibe with the recent stat I read that only 25% of long haul is by rail.

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TrafficSNAFU t1_ivi0n8i wrote

The number is actually closer to 30-35%. Rail transportation works best for longer distances but it not well suited for short distances. It wouldn't make sense for a shipper to put a container full of good on a train, if that container destination was to a warehouse in the tri-state area. However, if I'm a shipper and I'm sending goods to a distribution center in the Midwest it makes perfect sense. The percentage however low, in 2019 still amounted to 1.8 billions tons of freight. It would take an additional 99 million trucks to move that amount of tonnage.

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GoHuskies1984 t1_ivi0rdn wrote

I can think of two immediate reasons.

1 - Long haul customers are not all connected to rail.

2 - Railroads are swimming in profits and smaller volume customers may find it cheaper to use trucking. Couple this with #1 - If I'm receiving only a few containers per month to my Missouri business it may be cheaper for me to have them trucked from Norfolk. Moving rail to Chicago then on road last mile might cost me more overall.

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