Passenger and freight railways have been constructed all around the world to transport people and goods faster and further on electric, steam and diesel powered trains. Let’s learn about the benefits and drawbacks of using railways to transport goods or people.
Benefits:
[spoiler title=’Energy efficient’ style=’orange’ collapse_link=’false’]Railways can reduce highway gridlock, reduce pollution and lower greenhouse gas emissions by 75% compared to moving freight by truck![/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’Lower transportation costs’ style=’orange’ collapse_link=’false’]Rail allows more containers to be transported at one time, it is more fuel efficient and it can result in significant cost savings. Therefore, customers will see dramatically lower shipping costs especially on long-distance shipments. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’National network of rail lines’ style=’orange’ collapse_link=’false’]Rails are not stopped by traffic and follow specific tracks to their destination. Railways run nationwide from coast to coast. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’Large capacity for both bulk commodities and containerized freight’ style=’orange’ collapse_link=’false’]Trains can double-stack containers and connect additional cars to the locomotive to carry more freight.[/spoiler]
Drawbacks:
[spoiler title=’Less suitable for short distance and small loads’ style=’yellow’ collapse_link=’false’]Each train must have full load to be economical. Even though trains have a very large carrying capacity, underutilization of its capacity can cause financial losses, making trains unsuitable for short distances and small loads. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’Lack of door-to-door service’ style=’yellow’ collapse_link=’false’]Rail transport cannot provide door-to-door service as it is tied to a particular track. Intermediate loading or unloading involves greater cost, more wear and tear and a loss of time. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’Huge capital investment’ style=’yellow’ collapse_link=’false’]Creating and maintaining railways requires a large capital investment. The cost of construction, maintenance and overhead expenses are very high compared to other modes of transport. [/spoiler]
[spoiler title=’Lack of flexibility’ style=’yellow’ collapse_link=’false’]Rail routes and timings cannot be adjusted to individual requirements as the trains run on a specific schedule. The trains must also follow the specific tracks in place. [/spoiler]
