Some good figures from the Association of American Railroads on how RRs can help improve society. Good to see them finally doing something besides trying to abandon track and eliminate employees, but this info needs much wider exposure than it probably will get:

Study: Railroads can alleviate highway gridlock
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A new study of 49 major cities shows that freight rail can help reduce gridlock, according to this release issued by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
The study reports that if by 2025, 25 percent of freight volume is shifted from road to rail, commuters across America could save an average of 44 hours each year.

The same shift would both save each commuter an average of 257 gallons of fuel each year and reduce congestion costs by an average of $620 per household each year in the cities studied.

"With freight volume expected to grow by two-thirds over the next 20 years, freight railroads will become even more critical to easing congestion," said Wendell Cox, a transportation expert and author of the annual study. "In order to carry increasing freight volumes, railroads need more capacity. Rail capacity depends on investment returns. Since railroads are not meeting their cost of capital, government policy makers may want to consider investment incentives to help meet the growing demand for freight rail."

Transporting more freight by rail also would positively impact the environment. The shift would lower air pollution by an average of 882,000 tons annually in the cities studied. Additionally, it would lessen highway capacity challenges.

Overall, the study shows that, by 2025, a 25 percent shift of freight from road to rail, on average, would:

-- Save each commuter 44 hours per year

-- Save each commuter 257 gallons of fuel per year

-- Save the economy $620 per household in congestion costs each year

-- Reduce air pollution by nearly 900,000 tons each year

"One freight train can carry as much cargo as 500 trucks and one intermodal container train can carry nearly 300 truck trailers," said Edward R. Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. "The intermodal partnership between the rail and trucking industries combines the best abilities of the transportation modes and is an important solution in the battle against traffic congestion."

To receive a copy of the report, contact Jon Hawkins at 202/326-1729 or jon.hawkins@edelman.com, or visit http://www.tomorrowsrailroads.com.

(The preceding release was issued by the Association of American Railroads on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004.)