Why tractor trailer should be replaced with trains as the primary method to transport goods

Why tractor trailer should be replaced with trains as the primary method to transport goods

          Tractor trailers cause a lot of deaths and accidents every year. They should be replaced with trains as the primary method to transporting goods. If trains were the primary method of transporting goods they would save a lot of lives, fuel, and money. Trains should be used for the primary method to transport goods.

          First of all, trains are 4 times more fuel efficient. According to WashingtonPost, it says that on average trains are 4 times more fuel efficient. It also says that trains have significant friction advantage over trucks and that for a steel wheel rolling over a steel rail, its coefficient is approximately 0.001. For a rubber tire rolling over pavement the coefficient is between 0.006 and 0.010. Some friction is good for stopping quickly if something comes in front of the vehicle but too much friction means less energy driving the vehicle forward.Trains are more fuel efficient because of their friction advantage and will always be more fuel efficient than tractor trailers.

          Second of all, trains are 30% cheaper than tractor trailers. I know this because according to worldwiderails it says the average freight locomotive costs $500,00 to $2,000,000 and on fleet owner it says that an average tractor trailer costs %140,000 to $175,000. For a tractor trailers trailer it costs $30,000 to $50,000 and on marketwatch it says 1 box car costs $135,000 that can hold almost triple of what one tractor trailers trailer can hold. Also on acwr.comit says it cost 1 to 2 million dollars to build 1 mile of train track but on midwestind it says it costs 4 to 6 million dollars to lay one mile of a 4 lane high way. Even though the freight locomotive costs 12 times more it can pull more than 40 times what 1 tractor trailer can pull.

         Some people may argue that more deaths will occur with trains. But according to trucks.com in 2018 4,761 people died from tractor trailer incidents. In comparison, a.com/statistics says in 2018, 840 people died from trains. Trains ship about 25% of freight in the US, and they have about 80% less deaths than tractor trailers. If trains pulled 100% of the freight in the US there would be about 3,300 deaths on trains which would still be less than tractor trailers which would also make roads safer.

Trains should become the primary method to transport and ship freight. Less deaths, more fuel efficient, and being 30% cheaper are why trains should be the primary method of transporting goods. We should ship more goods by rail and appreciate trains more\