this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2025
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There is a reason in Australia, the distances travelled and the enormous loads they haul require far more powerful trucks. Look up road trains. They are significantly more efficient than using multiple trucks.
Trains would be more efficient but Australia is too large and too sparsely populated to do everything with trains.
They are also safer for the driver than the Cab over style.
Power is not the issue. Cabovers can have just as much power as long-hood tractors.
I'd imagine most road trains to run between cities, or mines, ports, industry, and cities. Building railways between them would certainly make sense, but it'd have to be the state, no single actor alone would make that investment.
What I mean to say is that trains are better and you could have them if you just chose to.
No, you don’t have the first inkling of how much that would cost. Not only would it not be cost effective due to how sparsely populated most of Australia is but no Australian Government could afford it to start with.
Road trains service extremely remote and tiny communities across Australia, as well as supporting many industries. They go off road to reach some of these communities.
You really can’t fathom how remote until you’ve been into the Outback.
Also we do have trains in many places where it makes sense. Not as many as we could have but they’re hardly ignored as an option.
You misunderstand. The trains aren't for the supply of tiny settlements. It's fine to use road vehicles for this. I am specifically talking about industry, cities, ports, mines.
You think Australia doesn’t have any trains?
Of course not. I think Australia could have more. If the Australians wanted to.