Table 4-17M: Class I Rail Freight Fuel Consumption and Travel
Table 4-17M: Class I Rail Freight Fuel Consumption and Travel
1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number in use | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locomotivesa | 29,031 | 27,780 | 27,077 | 27,846 | 28,094 | 22,548 | 18,835 | 18,344 | 18,004 | 18,161 | 18,505 | 18,812 | 19,269 | 19,684 | 20,261 | 20,256 | 20,028 | 19,745 | 20,506 | 20,774 | 22,015 | 22,779 | 23,732 | 24,143 | 24,003 | 24,045 |
Freight carsb | 1,965,486 | 1,800,662 | 1,784,181 | 1,723,605 | 1,710,827 | 1,421,686 | 1,212,261 | 1,189,660 | 1,173,136 | 1,173,132 | 1,192,412 | 1,218,927 | 1,240,573 | 1,270,419 | 1,315,667 | 1,368,836 | 1,380,796 | 1,314,136 | 1,299,670 | 1,278,980 | 1,287,920 | (R) 1,316,522 | (R) 1,361,250 | 1,385,709 | 1,392,972 | 1,363,433 |
Kilometers traveled (millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Freight train-kilometersc | 651 | 677 | 687 | 648 | 690 | 559 | 611 | 603 | 628 | 653 | 710 | 738 | 754 | 764 | 764 | 789 | 811 | 804 | 804 | 830 | 861 | 881 | (R) 905 | 875 | 844 | 702 |
Locomotive unit-kilometers | N | N | N | 2,380 | 2,464 | 1,976 | 2,060 | 1,992 | 2,057 | 2,124 | 2,261 | 2,326 | 2,358 | 2,290 | 2,317 | 2,420 | 2,419 | 2,378 | 2,323 | 2,388 | 2,476 | 2,555 | 2,671 | 2,589 | 2,509 | 2,107 |
Freight car-kilometers | 45,335 | 47,212 | 48,103 | 44,508 | 47,117 | 40,105 | 42,099 | 41,244 | 42,049 | 43,264 | 45,842 | 48,897 | 51,040 | 50,952 | 52,556 | 54,478 | 55,667 | 55,109 | 55,812 | 57,220 | 59,660 | 60,692 | 62,692 | 61,454 | 59,909 | 51,684 |
Average kilometers traveled per liter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Freight trains | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
Freight cars | 3.46 | 3.47 | 3.58 | 3.22 | 3.19 | 3.41 | 3.57 | 3.75 | 3.70 | 3.70 | 3.63 | 3.71 | 3.77 | 3.77 | 3.87 | 3.87 | 3.97 | 3.92 | 3.95 | 3.95 | 3.88 | 3.91 | 3.95 | 4.00 | 4.07 | 4.28 |
Fuel consumed (million liters) | 13,109 | 13,597 | 13,419 | 13,843 | 14,778 | 11,773 | 11,792 | 11,000 | 11,375 | 11,689 | 12,621 | 13,173 | 13,548 | 13,533 | 13,563 | 14,063 | 14,006 | 14,044 | 14,120 | 14,483 | 15,365 | 15,513 | 15,868 | 15,376 | 14,710 | 12,083 |
Revenue tonne-kilometers per liter of fuel consumed | 71 | 84 | 93 | 89 | 101 | 121 | 143 | 154 | 153 | 154 | 155 | 161 | 163 | 162 | 165 | 166 | 170 | 173 | 174 | 174 | 176 | 178 | 182 | 187 | 197 | 206 |
Average kilometers traveled per locomotive (thousands) | N | N | N | 85.5 | 87.7 | 87.6 | 109.4 | 108.6 | 114.2 | 117.0 | 122.2 | 123.6 | 122.4 | 116.3 | 114.4 | 119.5 | 120.8 | 120.4 | 113.3 | 115.0 | 112.5 | 112.2 | 112.6 | 107.2 | 104.5 | 87.6 |
Average fuel consumed per locomotivea (thousand liters) | 451.5 | 489.5 | 495.6 | 497.1 | 526.0 | 522.1 | 626.0 | 599.7 | 631.8 | 643.7 | 682.0 | 700.3 | 703.1 | 687.5 | 669.4 | 694.3 | 699.3 | 711.3 | 688.6 | 697.2 | 697.9 | 681.0 | 668.7 | 636.9 | 612.8 | 502.5 |
KEY: N = data do not exist.
a For 1960-80, the total includes a small number of steam and electric units, which are not included in the per locomotive fuel consumption figure.
b Includes cars owned by Class I railroads, other railroads, car companies, and shippers.
c Based on the distance run between terminals and / or stations; does not include yard or passenger train-kilometers.
NOTES
1.609344 kilometers = 1 mile.
3.785412 liters = 1 gallon.
1.459972 tonne-kilometers = 1 ton-mile.
SOURCES
All data except for locomotive unit-kilometers:
Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), pp. 33, 34, 40, 49, and 51, and similar pages in earlier editions.
Locomotive unit-kilometers:
1975-92, 2002: Ibid., Railroad Ten-Year Trends (Washington, DC: Annual Issues).
1993-2001, 2003-04: Ibid., Analysis of Class I Railroads (Washington, DC: Annual Issues).
2005-09: Association of American Railroads, personal communications, June 13, 2007, Apr. 24, 2008, Apr. 28, 2010, and Aug. 12, 2011.