THE GEOGRAPHY OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
Source: International Union of Railways, http://www.uic.asso.fr
World Rail Freight Traffic, 1997-2006
In 2006, about 9,000 billion tons-km of rail freight were shipped globally. The quantity of freight carried by rail has increased substantially in recent years, particularly in North America where the growth of international trade has led to a growing reliance on long distance freight corridors.