China’s embassy in Washington, D.C., has shared an image contrasting the country’s rail infrastructure with that of the United States in a pointed jab at Beijing’s rival amid simmering trade tensions.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    610 days ago

    But smallish population and a big distance between major population centers means rail is expensive. Relative to population size.

    This is also true for roads. Prioritizing roads is ideologically motivated.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      210 days ago

      would airports be better? they have better max distance per cost figures, but are more expensive per passenger.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        29 days ago

        Flying doesn’t need as much infrastructure so that’s definitely a factor. I couldn’t find the cost per passenger kilometer to compare so I can only say that flying emits much more co2 than every other form of transportation. Since climate change is going to cost us a lot I’d say the cost of flying exceeds the costs of car resp. train infrastructure.

        • @[email protected]
          link
          fedilink
          English
          09 days ago

          roads and rail also emit co2 though, and require regular maintenance that emits still more. at some point (perhaps it would be less than a flight per year) flying would emit less than the maintenance of infrastructure.