The case for rail transport

The minister of transport has recently estimated the cost of constructing a railway system that would cover a 1,100-kilometre distances at no less than $5 billion.

The figure may seem huge, but the economic, and other, benefits the country can reap from it in the long run easily offset it.

Rail transport is environment friendly, should be efficient and fast, and most countries in the world use it.

The case for rail transport and travel is strong. Rail travel is more efficient than movement by air or car on a per passenger basis.

When it comes to cost, according to the Association of American Railroads, one tonne of freight can be moved by rail 457 miles on a single gallon of fuel, making it three times more fuel efficient than trucks.

At the same time, the association says, if only 10 per cent of the long-haul freight now being carried by trucks were transported by rail, annual greenhouse gas emissions would fall by more than 12 million tonnes, equivalent to taking two million cars off the road or planting 280 million trees.

These are convincing figures, arrived at scientifically, and as such, they should be seriously taken into consideration for any plan to use railroad transportation.

Moreover, railroads can reduce the economic cost of highway congestion. They would save time, cost, nerves and pressure to build costly new roads that eat precious agricultural land, and help cut the cost of maintaining the roads.

Many are the advantages, and Jordan should not hesitate to build an efficient rail system.

One hopes the Amman-Zarqa railroad was only the beginning. A comprehensive grid would provide a cheaper, civilised means of transportation in the country and beyond.


Source: jordantimes.com