Originally Posted by
Roughstuff
We already have alot of that. Trains carry alot of freight..in fact, often goods are shipped in the back of trucks piggybacked on trains, to some point near their destination; then they are offloaded, shipped locally by truck, etc. There are long hauls on the interstates simply because some shipments are high enough value (and time is unpredictable) that movement is best done that way. This is especially true for multiple dropoff loads.
Don't forget...building 'highways and post roads' is specifically mentioned as one of the powers and responsibilities mentioned in the constitution. Most people (environmentalists excepted) have known since Roman times that transportation is a key factor in economic, political, amd military security.
roughstuff
As a carfree environmentalist, I do see the value of transportation, and I've studied it all my life. I believe it's important to choose the most efficient and least polluting mode, and public policy should encourage this.
So, I realize that freight trains are in good shape in our country (US), and carry a higher portion of cargo compared to Europe, for example. I think taxation, fees and other policies should foster rail usage, but trucking companies get many of the breaks in Washington and in the states.
Ironically, one of the biggest threats to rail freight comes from environmentalists who want to convert railways to favor passenger travel. In most cases, we're probably further ahead moving freight on rails and people on highways--if that's the only choice. Of course, I'd love to see the development of a separate infrastructure for efficient passenger trains, High speed trains should eventually "steal" passengers from the airlines more than from the Interstates, IMO.