Rail freight along Silk Road
Jul 21, 2013, 6:57 am
#1
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Join Date: Nov 1999
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Rail freight along Silk Road
Not sure just where to post this, but an interesting read for sure.
Hauling New Treasure Along the Silk Road - NYTimes .com
Hauling New Treasure Along the Silk Road - NYTimes .com
Hewlett-Packard, the Silicon Valley electronics company, has pioneered the revival of a route famous in the West since the Roman Empire. For the last two years, the company has shipped laptops and accessories to stores in Europe with increasing frequency aboard express trains that cross Central Asia at a clip of 50 miles an hour. Initially an experiment run in summer months, H.P. is now dispatching trains on the nearly 7,000-mile route at least once a week, and up to three times a week when demand warrants. H.P. plans to ship by rail throughout the coming winter, having taken elaborate measures to protect the cargo from temperatures that can drop to 40 degrees below zero.
Jul 23, 2013, 7:04 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
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Posts: 6,997
That is interesting. As pointed out in the article, this could be just the beginning. If the demand is there I can imagine this kind of transportation taking off. I remember hearing something about Russia having plans for improving their rail infrastructure and this may have something to do with it.
I wonder how to costs compare to transport by ship.
I wonder how to costs compare to transport by ship.
