Originally Posted by
Excargodog
Serious question: Have you ever looked at the economics for EAS flights? Or the Amtrak station in Fargo ND that gets one Amtrak Empite Builder stopping at 0324 in the morning three nights a week? The train weighs 1.08 MILLION pounds and will
slow from 50 mph to a stop to pick up (or drop off) one passenger, then accelerate back up to 50-70 mph. Just figure the energy requirements of that - and it’s all fossil fuel - and then repeat that for Cutbank Montana and every other little whistle stop on the way to Seattle. DO THE MATH.
Congress doesn’t really give a rats rear about CO2 release. They just want the votes of those who do give a rats rear about carbon release who they can play like the fools they are.
First off, the Empire Builder will once again be a daily train, thanks to Congress. Secondly, while passenger rail may not be super efficient, rail is without a doubt the most efficient way to move things in this country