Increasing Efficiency
Increased rail capacity has many benefits - including lowering transportation expenses. Double-stack trains simply move goods more efficiently than single-stack. With more freight moved by each train, the network's capacity will increase and be able to accommodate growing demand while running fewer trains. This means less competition with passenger and commuter rail services on key routes, such as MARC and VRE service in the Baltimore/Washington region as well as Amtrak service between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia.
Skyrocketing fuel costs make fuel-efficient freight transportation a priority. Thanks to technological advances in the rail industry, trains can move one ton of freight three times as far as a truck on one gallon of fuel.
Improving the efficiency of rail freight transportation is also good news for the trucking industry. By significantly increasing the amount of freight moved to destination markets, double-stack trains will provide much more local and short-haul business - already the bulk of trucking business.