Table 4-25: Energy Intensity of Class I Railroad(a) Freight Service
Friday, July 22, 2016
| 1960 | 1965 | 1970 | 1975 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue freight ton-miles (millions) | 572,309 | 697,878 | 764,809 | 754,252 | 918,958 | 876,984 | 1,033,969 | 1,038,875 | 1,066,781 | 1,109,309 | 1,200,701 | 1,305,688 | 1,355,975 | 1,348,926 | 1,376,802 | 1,433,461 |
| Car-miles (millions) | 28,170 | 29,336 | 29,890 | 27,656 | 29,277 | 24,920 | 26,159 | 25,628 | 26,128 | 26,883 | 28,485 | 30,383 | 31,715 | 31,660 | 32,657 | 33,851 |
| Tons per car load | 44.4 | 48.9 | 54.9 | 60.8 | 67.1 | 67.7 | 66.6 | 66.2 | 66.0 | 64.4 | 63.4 | 65.3 | 66.6 | 63.4 | 64.1 | 63.4 |
| Fuel consumed (million gallons) | 3,463 | 3,592 | 3,545 | 3,657 | 3,904 | 3,110 | 3,115 | 2,906 | 3,005 | 3,088 | 3,334 | 3,480 | 3,579 | 3,575 | 3,583 | 3,715 |
| Energy intensity (Btu/revenue freight ton-mile) | 839 | 714 | 643 | 672 | 589 | 492 | 418 | 388 | 391 | 386 | 385 | 370 | 366 | 368 | 361 | 359 |
| Energy intensity (Btu/car-mile) | 17,051 | 16,983 | 16,450 | 18,341 | 18,495 | 17,310 | 16,516 | 15,727 | 15,952 | 15,932 | 16,234 | 15,886 | 15,652 | 15,662 | 15,218 | 15,222 |
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue freight ton-miles (millions) | 1,465,960 | 1,495,472 | 1,507,011 | 1,551,438 | 1,662,598 | 1,696,425 | 1,771,897 | 1,770,545 | 1,777,236 | 1,532,214 | 1,691,004 | 1,729,256 | 1,712,567 | 1,740,687 | 1,851,229 |
| Car-miles (millions) | 34,590 | 34,243 | 34,680 | 35,555 | 37,071 | 37,712 | 38,955 | 38,186 | 37,226 | 32,115 | 35,541 | 36,649 | 36,525 | 35,253 | 37,193 |
| Tons per car load | 62.6 | 64.0 | 63.3 | 62.3 | 61.3 | 61.0 | 60.9 | 61.7 | 63.1 | 64.2 | 63.4 | 62.9 | 62.0 | 61.0 | 60.9 |
| Fuel consumed (million gallons) | 3,700 | 3,710 | 3,730 | 3,826 | 4,059 | 4,098 | 4,192 | 4,062 | 3,886 | 3,192 | 3,494 | 3,685 | 3,600 | 3,682 | 3,867 |
| Energy intensity (Btu/revenue freight ton-mile) | 350 | 344 | 343 | 342 | 339 | 335 | 328 | 318 | 303 | 289 | 287 | 296 | 292 | 293 | 290 |
| Energy intensity (Btu/car-mile) | 14,836 | 15,027 | 14,918 | 14,925 | 15,187 | 15,072 | 14,926 | 14,754 | 14,479 | 13,786 | 13,635 | 13,946 | 13,671 | 14,487 | 14,421 |
KEY: Btu = British thermal unit.
a The threshold for classification as a Class I Railroads is based on operating revenues; the 2014 threshold is $475.75 million.
NOTE
The heat equivalent factor used for Btu conversion is 138,700 Btu/gallon.
SOURCE
Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts 2015 (Washington, DC: 2015), pp. 3, 37, 40, and 43, and similar tables in earlier editions.