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There are some good ideas here about using rails to gain efficiency (lower the amount of wasted energy). Railroad efficiency is high because of the use of steel wheel on steel rail. The rolling resistance is extremely low. Also, accelerations are very low because the coefficient of sliding friction of steel on steel is so low. It would make no sense to try to attempt a jack rabbit start with a train because the locomotive's wheels would just spin uselessly. Trains tend to run at a single steady speed - very unlike automobiles.