You are comparing relatively empty trains with hypothetically 100% full planes
It's the same with the wsj, they are comparing a 100% occupancy rate of the plane with a 20% for the car (a single passenger)
Assuming the consumption of a train doesn't change much based on how many passengers, you can travel by train for carbon free, as the 56 mpg won't change if you are in the train or not
Of course trains should be electrified, but take the train today already, the higher the occupancy rate, the better the averaged mpg will be
And who knows, it might change how the fret trains seems to always have the priority over passengers ones and finally make it a pleasant experience
No, I’m not. Modern airplanes get pretty high average occupancy (well, pre-COVID-19... but that affects Amtrak as well). Modern airplanes get a per seat mpg of like 80-110, depending on the route. So my figure of nearly the same is correct even with typical ridership.
It's the same with the wsj, they are comparing a 100% occupancy rate of the plane with a 20% for the car (a single passenger)
Assuming the consumption of a train doesn't change much based on how many passengers, you can travel by train for carbon free, as the 56 mpg won't change if you are in the train or not
Of course trains should be electrified, but take the train today already, the higher the occupancy rate, the better the averaged mpg will be
And who knows, it might change how the fret trains seems to always have the priority over passengers ones and finally make it a pleasant experience