Waterway Facts:

Cargo Capacities:

One Barge = 1500 tons / 52,500 bushels / 453,600 gallons


One Jumbo Hopper Rail Car = 112 tons / 4,000 bushels / 33,870 gallons


One Large Semi-Track = 26 tons / 910 bushels / 7,855 gallons

Equivalent units & Carbon Footprint:

One Barge = 13.4 Jumbo Hopper Rail Cars = 58 Large Semi-Trucks

One 15 Barge Tow = Two 100 Car Trains = 870 Large Semi-Trucks

In terms of CO2 produced per ton of cargo moved per ton - mile (emissions generated while shipping one ton of cargo per one mile).

Tons of CO2 per million ton-miles:
Barge - 19.3                                         Rail - 26.9                                     Truck - 71.6

Energy Efficiency:

Miles per gallon carrying one ton of cargo:

Truck = 155 ton-miles / gallon

Rail = 413 ton-miles / gallon

Barge = 576 ton-miles / gallon

These facts coupled with increased safety and reduced transportation infrastructure impact, speak volumes to the need to expand the use of our waterway for our transportation of goods in the country.