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Tomorrowland meets Texas - Futuristic freight system planned for I-35 corridor
Fort Worth Star-Telegram ^ | June 6, 2012

Posted on 06/06/2012 2:44:37 PM PDT by Zakeet

Freight normally hauled by trucks could one day soon be shipped on an electric-powered, overhead guideway across Texas. It may seem like an idea more suitable for Tomorrowland – and artist renderings of the project do resemble Disney’s famed monorail system – but Texas officials are encouraging a privately-funded business to get the project up and running, perhaps within six years.

[The developers] have formed Freight Shuttle International, a company that is cobbling together the estimated $2.5 billion needed to build the first leg of this futuristic transportation system. The guideways would be built within the existing right-of-way of Interstate 35, initially stretching about 250 miles from San Antonio to Waxahachie – but eventually extending north through Dallas-Fort Worth, and south to the Mexican border. Ultimately, Freight Shuttle guideways could be built on more than 2,000 miles of highway right-of-way across the state, he said.

The system would haul cargo of various sizes, packed in both intermodal containers and freight trailers. Terminals would be built at each end of the route, so that trucks could load and off-load their goods onto the Freight Shuttle guideways. The shipments would be placed on unmanned transporters powered by linear induction motors using electricity and a magnetic field. They would glide on steel wheels across the guideways at about 60 mph, Roop told members of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition during a meeting Wednesday in Fort Worth.

Shippers would be able to get their goods across the state for pennies on the dollar compared to what it costs to haul freight in tractor-trailers, said Ken Allen, a retired logistics executive for grocery giant H-E-B Stores and chief executive officer of Freight Shuttle International’s operations unit.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.star-telegram.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: rail; texas; transportation
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To: Reeses

I can just imagine those on the PA Turnpike, LOL


61 posted on 06/06/2012 6:23:35 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

“Pennies on the dollar” seems pretty reasonable to me.

Over a 250 mile stretch, a 40 ton tractor trailer will use 40gal of diesel at $4/gal and pay a driver $100, for a total of $260.

A diesel electric train uses 25gal to move 40 tons 250 miles (according to CSX commercials, anyway). This is $100 for 250 miles by train.

So this means tractor trailers are 2.5x more expensive than trains. It costs about 50 cents per KWH to generate electricity from diesel. But centrally generated electricity is much cheaper than generating it from diesel on board a train.

The proposed electric tractors would be running on grid electricity at 10 cents per KWH, and would be 5x cheaper than diesel electric trains. So a total factor of 12.5x cheaper than tractor trailers.

That means 8 pennies on the dollar.

Maintenance costs per electric are nothing compared to diesel trucks. The only advantage trucks have is they don’t have to build their own roads while the monorails need to be built.


62 posted on 06/06/2012 6:25:46 PM PDT by Kellis91789 (The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.)
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To: cripplecreek
That's cool. The wide track would make it stable enough to get by.

Plus it looks like it only carries slim chicks with large breasts, no piercings and normal colored hair.

63 posted on 06/06/2012 6:31:37 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Kellis91789

You are neglecting capital costs and Maintenance of Way costs and taxes.


64 posted on 06/06/2012 6:34:41 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

Well it is called a straddle bus.


65 posted on 06/06/2012 6:34:55 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Paladin2

Plus the costs of railroad workers and their managements.


66 posted on 06/06/2012 6:35:45 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Zakeet

LOL! Fantastic comment, Zakeet!


67 posted on 06/06/2012 7:06:34 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: Paladin2

I did mention that the trucks have the advantage of not paying for the roads they use while the monorail needs to be built at a capital cost of $2.5B. Divide that $2.5B by all the freight moved over a 50 year lifespan and it is only $50M per year. How many loads a year will travel on that 250 mile leg ? A million ? Ten million ?

Maintenance of roads is included in the fuel tax rather than paid by the individual trucking companies (although there is also the mileage and weight portion of the vehicle tax on big trucks).

Maintenance of the monorail would have to be paid by the operator — presumably out of their 92% operating cost savings compared to trucks.


68 posted on 06/06/2012 7:10:45 PM PDT by Kellis91789 (The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.)
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To: ngat
They have barges that go 60 miles an hour?

Yes. You'll want to contact Niagra Freight. Their motto is, "we go fast, all the way down!"

69 posted on 06/06/2012 7:18:36 PM PDT by zeugma (Those of us who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.)
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To: cripplecreek

It would be nice to get the trucks out of traffic.


70 posted on 06/06/2012 7:19:51 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: SaraJohnson

Stop buying things and the trucks will be gone.


71 posted on 06/06/2012 7:22:00 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: cripplecreek

I-35 is two lanes each direction is most of Texas. Having one truck trying to pass another stacks up traffic for miiiiles.


72 posted on 06/06/2012 7:29:08 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr
I-35 is two lanes each direction is most of Texas. Having one truck trying to pass another stacks up traffic for miiiiles.

I-94 in Michigan is the same way. Its the main route to Detroit which is the second busiest freight crossing in the country. I just avoid 94 whenever possible.
73 posted on 06/06/2012 7:42:40 PM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Spktyr

I have questions, but I’m assuming this electric transport would be very quiet, which is a major problem with anyone living near truck-packed I35 now.

And think how much safer without 18-wheelers hogging the road.


74 posted on 06/06/2012 7:43:20 PM PDT by Jedidah ("In those days Israel had no king. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.")
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To: cripplecreek

You’re preachin’ to the choir. :)


75 posted on 06/06/2012 7:51:31 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: cripplecreek

If you need to go between Austin and Dallas/Fort Worth, 35 is pretty much your only choice.


76 posted on 06/06/2012 7:58:27 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Jedidah

Very. They run on rubber tires on the rail instead of metal to metal. The electric motors are very quiet as well even when they’re accelerating but especially when they’re cruising.

I hate to bring up the Disney monorail, but if you’ve ever been around one of those, that’s about the upper limit for the noise level. Another example would be the Dallas or Houston light rail systems - only they’re louder because they are metal to metal drive. Powertrain noise (the hum) should be about the same.


77 posted on 06/06/2012 8:03:52 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: zeugma
"Niagra Freight"

Niagara?

78 posted on 06/06/2012 8:05:12 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Spktyr

Rubber, pneumatic tires are going to reduce the fuel efficiency over steel on steel.


79 posted on 06/06/2012 8:06:47 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

I don’t believe they’re pneumatic. And ‘rubber’ is actually some sort of advanced polymer or something.


80 posted on 06/06/2012 8:23:54 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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