On Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:01:10 +0000, John Williamson wrote:

Doctor Drivel wrote:

"dennis@home" wrote in message
b.com...


"Doctor Drivel" wrote in message
...

One train can take 50 trucks off the roads.

50 trucks can go to 50 different places.

You really don't get it. Rail can do all the long distance stuff and
then freight taken in smaller trucks to local destinations.


In a perfect world, yes. In this one, the cost (Money, and probably fuel
as well) of taking stuff off a lorry and putting it onto a train, then
doing the same in reverse is a lot more than just leaving it on a lorry,
and letting the lorry do the whole journey.

What's the maximum height allowable on a UK railway? Around here they
stick the entire* loaded lorry trailer onto the train and all that's
needed at the destination is the tractor unit to haul it; the loading and
unloading operation is quick and easy. I suspect there's just not the
clearance under bridges etc. to do that in the UK though :-(

* and mile-long trains with shipping containers stacked one atop the
other aren't unusual, either. I'm glad that lot doesn't end up on the
roads.


cheers

Jules