After seeing the post about the Punta Colonet port, and with the Panama Canal expansion, etc., it got me to wondering (a dangerous thing sometimes). I know freight is shipped by tonnage, but with all things being equal, and taking into consideration fuel costs, etc., on a mile to mile basis per container, which is more cost effective - container ships or trains? I know a container ship can haul a lot more than a train can, but in a head to head competion, lets say, what are the cost differences? For example, would it be cheaper to offload a ship from China at Long Beach and send the container via train to Chicago, or to send that same container through the Panama Canal to Houston, offload it there, then train it to Chicago?

Mileage (Note: these are air and road miles, which I'm sure are different than the actual miles):

Shanghai to Chicago via Panama City, Panama and Houston - 12026 mi. (Houston to Chicago - 1100 mi.)

Shanghai to Chicago via Los Angeles - 8220 mi. (L.A. to Chicago - 2050 mi.)