Benefits of rail transport

Travelling and transporting cargo by rail is an excellent way to save money, protect the environment, and get to your destination quickly and on time.

Safe transport

Rail transport is a safe alternative when compared to other modes of land transportation. The rail system is the safest and most reliable way of transportation since it is less vulnerable to extreme weather conditions like turbulence, heavy downpours, or fog. Unlike trucks on highways, trains have set schedules and will not share tracks with the general public vehicles. As a result, train mishaps are extremely infrequent. Furthermore, they can be shielded from the sun, rain, and even snow if necessary. According to statistics, the Shinkansen in Japan has safely transported over 10 billion people in the last 50 years with no fatalities (Svenja Lohner., 2019).

Fast, punctual & reliable

The rail system is a reliable means of transportation. With a short lead time and quick turnaround, it's an excellent option.

Rail transport, unlike road trucks, has set transit timetables and do not share their routes with the general public. This allows the train to be punctual and reliable as they do not hinder by any congestion or affected by poor weather conditions except for the extreme weather/ unexpected situation. There is nothing that can block the train track, thus there are fewer chances of unexpected delays.

In simple words, rail passenger can plan their schedules around their train because delays are rare. They would arrive on time at the stated or given hour as scheduled.

Environmental friendly

Rail transport is the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation. According to a study (de Andrade & D’Agosto, 2016) the greenhouse effect of gas emissions per kilometre from railway transportation is 80% lower than that of cars. As a result, train emissions are far lower than automobile emissions. We can observe that when we use rail transportation, we have considerably less noise, air pollution, external costs, accidents, and congestion than when we use road transportation.

High capacity

Trains have more space for passengers and cargo than cars, motorcycles, buses, or even trucks and vans.

This implies they can convey more passengers or products in a shorter amount of time. Thus, the train will always be one of the quickest and most convenient modes of transportation for transporting huge groups of people and a high capacity of cargo.

A single heavy-rail commuter train, for example, can transport nine times as many passengers in one hour as one car traffic lane. It can transport more cargo from point A to point B in a single movement due to its speed, efficiency, and size.

Comfort

Passengers value comfort more than anything else. As a passenger, they expect a higher level of comfort when travelling long distances. The most important thing to remember when travelling is that public transportation passengers require comfort requirements such as low noise, low vibration, arrangement (i.e., timetable & train interior design), and high speed.

In Malaysia, for example, we have Electric Train Service (ETS), which provides passengers with a very comfortable long-distance travel experience. Passengers do not need to fight their way through a crowded area because they have already reserved their own space by purchasing a single-destination ticket online. ETS also included a restroom and a café for travellers. As a result, passengers can use the restroom and buy food whenever they want while waiting for their train to arrive at their destination.

Cost effective

Why is rail transportation more cost-effective than other modes of delivery?

The answer can be found in the shipping industry. Shipping companies that switch their long-haul freight from the road to the rails can save between 10% and 40% on prices. Long-haul freight refers to any type of trucking that takes more than a day to complete its journey. Normally, the driver would spend the night on the road before arriving at the specified location. This would eventually cost the shipping companies more money because the driver would have to stay an extra night or two before arriving at the destination.

More loads require more fuel, but shipping companies can save money on fuel by using rail rather than driving. Because trains use significantly less fuel than any other mode of transportation, the cost of transporting goods via this system would be lower than any other. In addition, the few locomotives could be coupled together to haul a long line of containers/cargo on the track. As a result, shipping companies can save money and time by transporting their goods via rail.

Intermodal strategy

Rail transportation as part of an intermodal strategy could provide significant benefits. The use of two or more modes of freight transportation is referred to as intermodal. It's also known as multimodal transportation. Long-haul shipments are handled by trains, which combine road and rail transportation.

The containers and trailers used are suitable for both road and rail freight. Among the commodities commonly transported by intermodal rail are electronics, apparel, equipment, polymers, and lumber. By simply lifting the container or trailer from the train to the truck as needed, eliminates the need for unloading and loading at transit points. Shipping companies could also sell less-than-full-load trucks and containers. They can be loaded with freight from other buyers.

Let's think

Do you know of any other advantages of using trains?

References

Dr Hayley Stainton. (2020, September). Advantages of Rail Transport. Retrieved from https://tourismteacher.com/advantages-of-rail-transport/
Joelynch. (2013, November). Transportation; The Logistics of Logistics. Retrieved from https://www.thelogisticsoflogistics.com/benefits-of-choosing-rail-freight/
Leah Palnik. (2018, December). 6 Suprising Advantages of Rail Transport Over Road Transport. Retrieved from http://www.partnership.com/blog/post/6-surprising-advantages-of-rail-transport-over-road-transport
RC Argawal. (2014, May). Advantages and Disadvantages of Railway Transport. Retrieved from Your Article Library; https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/geography/transportation/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-railway-transport/42134
The Economic Times. (2020, October) Rail Transpor; Definition of ‘Rail Transport’. Retreved from https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/rail-transport#:~:text=Definition%3A%20Rail%20transport%20is%20also,as%20well%20as%2C%20short%20distances.
Andrade, C. E. S. D., & D’Agosto, M. D. A. (2016). The role of rail transit systems in reducing energy and carbon dioxide emissions: The case of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Sustainability, 8(2), 150.

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