CSX Web Advertisement

I caught the attached banner ad on CNN.com

This isn't an actual freight route correct? If that is true, which I believe it is, than it is slightly misleading in my opinion, although the principle of getting 1ton of freight 400 + miles per gallon I have no problem with. But if one wanted to ship Baltimore to Boston on CSX, it would probably be a longer route than what the ad would lead you to believe.

Brooks

That's right, Brooks, the shipment would move via Selkirk NY. Perhaps this banner is targeted for the Northeastern market and this was the one route that fits their 423 mile statistic.

One thing that the trucking industry has balked against with these sort of fuel efficiency stats.in the past is the railroad circuity issue if one were to compare this stat. to highway mpg. Generally rail mileage runs about 7-8 % higher than highway mileage between city pairs. In this particular case, as often can be the case with rail, with the rail car going via Selkirk while a truck would travel via I-95, that circuity factor would be higher, and that would have to be factored in if you were to compare this to highway technology fuel efficiency. But, hey, it makes for great PR!