What are the rough costs of
- constructing, and
- maintaining
a kilometer of a 1+1 road and single track rail? Is rail at all competitive in this regard?
^(I realise it also depends on the type of cargo – I’m curious about rail transporting everything as was the case in the 1800s)
This is not something that is even a little debated. Rail is more efficient. Ship is even more efficient but since most of those are coming from redic far if your comparing overseas to local that is a different issue. But mile for mile and ton for ton should be ship, then rail, then road.