They used to.
Comment on The first driverless semis have started running regular longhaul routes | CNN Business
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 year agoTrains are great but they don’t typically run to your local warehouse…
deranger@sh.itjust.works 1 year ago
turtlesareneat@discuss.online 1 year ago
Because the warehouse was built on the tracks. Alas that infrastructure tie-in has mostly gone away, new facilities are built with proximity to cheap labor, land, and easy to consume + pollute natural resources.
dogs0n@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
Maybe this type of automation could be improved by letting trains handle the long journey part:
Autonomous truck -> train -> autonomous truck
Then, the automated trucks (that could maybe be dispatched from rail networks when you have cargo to send) dont have to do the long distance part. Only the last couple miles each time from train to warehouse and vice versa.
I’m sure there are complications im missing, but at scale this sounds like a feasible plan
jenesaisquoi@feddit.org 1 year ago
They have, and they could again
FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 1 year ago
Canals can be useful for this as well, Lowell MA used to have a huge industry all on waterfronts
Ulrich@feddit.org 1 year ago
Could but don’t.