How much coal does a train haul?
How much coal does a train haul? A typical unit coal train is made up of 135 cars which comprises a train that weighs approximately 19k tons. Of that, each loaded car weighs 143 tons apiece with 100 tons of coal in each car.
How is coal loaded onto trains?
Most unit train loadouts are set-up to load the train in continuous motion. The engineer sets a speed on a creep control similar to an auto cruise control and the operator informs him by radio to dial it up or down slightly.
Are trains worse for the environment than planes?
However, as an energy researcher, my decision was motivated by the fact that trains, whether for cargo or passengers, pollute much less than airplanes, sometimes by as much as 73%, and they are more easily electrified than planes.
Do trains pollute more than cars?
If we take an overall view of the transport sector, 71% of transportation related carbon emissions come from road users, whereas only 1.8% of emissions stem from rail travel. So in absolute terms, trains are responsible for a lot less emissions than cars.