Oklahoma Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan

Chapter 2
Figure 2-2
Intermodal traffic composition
to intermodal has been occurring due to improved handling and technology. Figure 2-2
shows the recent shift to domestic intermodal.
Commodity moved by rail
Figure 2-3 shows the share of goods moved by Class I railroads in 2010.
Figure 2-3
U.S. rail freight commodity mix
(tonnage)
The most significant single
commodity carried by U.S.
railroads is coal. In terms of
tonnage, coal movements
comprise approximately
44 percent of all commodities
moved by rail in the U.S. Coal
remains the primary means of
electricity generation, though
its share has dropped consistently
as natural gas continues
to increase. Coal exports,
however, are on pace to exceed
levels not seen since the early
1990s.
Note: ISO Containers are standard international containers of standardized size
for stacking on ships.
Passenger Rail
Passenger rail service is
broadly categorized as conventional
intercity passenger rail service, high-speed intercity passenger rail service, and
commuter rail service.
• Conventional intercity rail service—These are medium- and long-distance trains
that operate between towns and cities across the country with maximum train
speeds of 79 miles per hour. Amtrak is the operator, providing service on over 30
routes (Figure 2-4). Conventional intercity services operate over lines owned by
2-4
Oklahoma Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan