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Contested Power: American Long-Distance Passenger Rail and the Ambiguities of Energy Intensity Analysis

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  • Michael Minn

    (Department of History, Politics, and Geography, Farmingdale State College, Farmingdale, NY 11735-1021, USA)

Abstract

This paper is a critical review of research on long-distance passenger rail energy consumption that examines the factors that affect the energy intensity of rail, the comparative energy intensity of alternative modes (auto, air and bus), and the sources of discrepancies between different published energy intensity figures. The ambiguities underlying those discrepancies point to a fundamental question about what phenomenon is being quantified in energy intensity analysis, and whether any transport mode can be said to universally have an energy intensity advantage over other modes at all times, places and scales. This ontological question may be as significant as the epistemic conflicts dominating discourses over competing studies and analytical approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Minn, 2019. "Contested Power: American Long-Distance Passenger Rail and the Ambiguities of Energy Intensity Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:4:p:1200-:d:208703
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chester, Mikhail V, 2008. "Life-cycle Environmental Inventory of Passenger Transportation in the United States," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt7n29n303, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    2. Alain Bonnafous & Charles Raux, 2003. "Transport Energy and Emissions: Rail," Post-Print halshs-00080523, HAL.
    3. Bullard, Clark W. & Herendeen, Robert A., 1975. "The energy cost of goods and services," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 268-278, December.
    4. Levinson, David & El-Geneidy, Ahmed, 2009. "The minimum circuity frontier and the journey to work," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 732-738, November.
    5. Fels, Margaret Fulton, 1978. "Breakdown of rapid rail energy costs: A study of three systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 507-522.
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