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Rail Travel Pollutes as Much as Flying: Study

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 8, 2009 5:04 PM CDT

(Newser) – Train riders might not actually have that much to lord over their jet-setting rivals as far as pollution goes, Scientific American reports. A new study shows that although planes emit three times more greenhouse gasses per passenger per mile than trains, the industrial emissions necessary to rail infrastructure makes the environmental damage equal.

On the East Coast, where the majority of electricity comes from coal, trains are a worse bet than planes if you’re into saving the environment. The study should not invite a crusade against rail travel, the lead author said, but consideration. “We’ve done a lot by going at the tailpipe of the car,” he said. “That’s good thing, but we should start looking beyond the tailpipe.”

An Amtrak train in New Orleans.
An Amtrak train in New Orleans.   (AP Photo)
A commuter train passes a cargo plane from the US based Kalitta Air company that crashed at the end of the runway in Zaventem near Brussels, Belgium.
A commuter train passes a cargo plane from the US based Kalitta Air company that crashed at the end of the runway in Zaventem near Brussels, Belgium.   (AP Photo)
Planes coming in to land at London's Heathrow Airport.
Planes coming in to land at London's Heathrow Airport.   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
Snowleopard
Jun 9, 2009 6:15 AM CDT
...and if the electrical grid converts over to a higher percentage of renewables, then electric trains will be way better than flying. btw, New Zealand currently gets over 60% of its energy from renewables, costa rica gets over 90% from renewables, and the US gets about 6%. Way to go america.
kokuaguy
Jun 8, 2009 10:12 AM CDT
Eight years were lost when science was considered the enemy to an approach that wanted to maintain the status quo and cater to the vested interests. Let the research proceed and take us where it will.

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