We compared land transport options for getting to net zero. Hands down, electric rail is the best.
We compared land transport options for getting to net zero. Hands down, electric rail is the best.
The only way to reduce soaring transport emissions is to shift as much travel as possible to the lowest-emission option.
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What really annoys me about this is that we had good rail infrastructure here in Germany, then it got privatized in the 90s, which made it shit over the last few decades, which means everything is transported via trucks now, which just puts those costs onto the more expensive roads. Like, that was just a bad decision even before the public cared about climate change.
It's the whole neoliberal "sell everything not nailed down" approach to government infrastructure that was taken right across the Western world, even from ostensibly left-wing parties. Turns out you can get some cheap money from selling things off and get to brag about a surplus. Who cares that you eventually run out of things to sell and are left with expensive infrastructure and services that only private companies can profit from, that's a future government's problem!
Sell things that you're making profit off of to make money quickly instead of making money long term? Genius!
Politicians can spin that they fixed the budget if they're not concerned about the inevitable time-bomb they're handing the next administration!
We all love complaining but when looking at the big picture, Germany still has great rail. Could it be better? Yes, it's wasted potential. But as someone from southern Europe, this is great. But can't wait to move to a better place.
Cries in canadian rail
When the train gets stuck behind a freight train and has to go 20 km/h
Since the war in Ukraine started it has become very common for fuel trains to take priority over passenger trains and delay everyone in Germany. Somehow they can't plan ahead for it.
They can, they are choosing not to. We have that same problem in the US. Legally, freight is supposed to yield to passenger rail, but private companies don't give a fuck so they did everything they could to avoid complying and now they basically never comply and nothing ever happens to them