A Non:
Someone needs to do the math.

A train may carry (y) passengers on an intercity commuter route, but it has a safety margin of (x) miles on each side of it, so the density of passengers per mile is possibly quite low.

Whereas cars may actually have a higher density due the the fact they are all moving 20MPH bumper to bumper.

Could this mean congested traffic is a more efficient mover of people ?

Of course if a train breaks down it blocks the track until moved, a car can be moved to the hard shoulder and traffic can resume quite quickly.


A Non | 22.11.02 - 4:31 pm | #

Patrick Crozier:
I think someone did do the math(s) many years ago. I understand there was a report from a chap called Smeed in about 1964 (I have no reason to think things have changed significantly) who worked out that trains were fantastically more efficient in moving people into cities. This is for commuting rather than long distance travel.

One of the advantages that trains have over the private automobile of course is that you don't have to park them for 8 hours. They can be doing something useful.
Patrick Crozier | Homepage | 22.11.02 - 7:33 pm | #