Trains will be repaired quickly as well as trucks. The will get priority. Imports of grains will increase for sure and there will be inflation.
Without power, how do the fuel stations on the interstate operate?
They are called generators and most have magneto type ignition. So like I said previously.
I said that I think we are tougher than implied in the novels.
But generators need fuel and infrastructure to make and distribute it.
I think the whole grid would not go down and stay down. We are tougher. But if the whole grid went down and stayed down, a months supply of fuel will not make much difference for most people.
But, I like the way you are thinking about it. It would be much closer to that in reality. In reality, we would get local power generation up and running pretty quickly.
It does not take a lot to get a lot accomplished.
There is no big trick to producing food without electricity.
It is the transition that would kill. If the grid is out for a year, vast numbers would die.
The cities would be death traps.