I had a hard time reading this article without wondering if it was some kind of spoof. The USA has the most efficient freight rail network in the world (other countries optimise their networks for passenger), and this isn't due to a single factor. It is never going to be under threat from the Hyperloop, because most of the cargo carried are things like coal, raw materials, containers, etc. that aren't sensitive to being delivered "just a few hours faster" (or even days). Also, most of the US freight rail network is heavily heavily optimised and drops containers off for truck haulage after transporting the cargo to the most efficient spot on the network.
I heard about how the modern diesel-electric trains are engineered and wondered what I could learn from their systems, and was just about shocked. My intent was a thought experiment on "could we build a better hybrid car?" And the answer is a resounding yes... just look at trains.
All the research is already done, by train builders. They've done the math that says when to prioritize amperage over voltage for efficiency, and how to optimize various systems. And that's just one thing that I found massively impressive. (Now if only I could find the site I read, it was impressive.)
I've done a fair amount of research myself and have always felt the auto industry could learn a lot from locomotive builders, especially the use of 3-phase ac traction.
One caveat: there is a ton of highly time sensitive traffic, especially FedEx and UPS z-trains that run on very tight schedules - and the railroads charge accordingly.
By volume and especially by weight, time sensitive mail deliveries are a tiny, tiny fraction of the bulk of coal, grain, scrap metal, etc. that make up most freight traffic.
Hypothetically, wouldn't a high speed freight network coupled with just-in-time production, and a amazon-like online shopping with one day delivery change the face of retail industry.
