I have no idea. But here are some links.
http://strredwolf.livejournal.com/467957.html
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/forums/thread.aspx?ThreadID=147702&PostID=1637281&PermaPostID=1637281
Locomotives are actually rated in GPH or Gallons per Hour at each run level. So mileage would depend on how hard the engine was working and how far it went at that level. To get a good reading what you really need is fuel consumption for a particular train end to end, start to stop. Then figure out passenger capacity and get a figure that is mileage per passenger on that particular route. I know you have seen the CSX add that advertises they can haul a ton of freight 400 miles on a gallon of fuel. How far can Amtrak haul a passenger on a gallon of fuel? Interesting question.
Here is a site that tries to answer the question:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency_in_transportation
TrainsUK freight trains average about 1.5–2.0 MPG loaded. Compared with road transport it is very efficient; if lorries did the same trip they would use 70% more fuel than a freight train. UK passenger trains average from 8 MPG to 12 MPG.
Freight: the AAR claims an energy efficiency of 457 ton-miles per gallon of diesel fuel in 2008[26]
The East Japan Railway Company claims for 2004 an energy intensity of 20.6 MJ/car-km, or about 0.35 MJ/passenger-km[27]
a 1997 EC study[28] on page 74 claims 18.00 kWh/train-km for the TGV Duplex assuming 3 intermediate stops between Paris and Lyon. This equates to 64.80 MJ/train-km. With 80% of the 545 seats filled on average[29] this is 0.15 MJ/passenger-km.
Actual train consumption depends on gradients, maximum speeds and stopping patterns. Data was produced for the European MEET project (Methodologies for Estimating Air Pollutant Emissions) and illustrates the different consumption patterns over several track sections. The results show the consumption for a German ICE high-speed train varied from around 19–33 kW·h/km (68–120 MJ/km; 31–53 kW·h/mi). The data also reflects the weight of the train per passenger. For example, the TGV double-deck ‘Duplex’ trains use lightweight materials in order to keep axle loads down and reduce damage to track; this saves considerable energy.[30]
A Siemens study of Combino light rail vehicles in service in Basel, Switzerland over 56 days showed net consumption of 1.53 kWh/vehicle-km, or 5.51 MJ/vehicle-km. Average passenger load was estimated to be 65 people, resulting in average energy efficiency of 0.085 MJ/passenger-km. The Combino in this configuration can carry as many as 180 with standees. 41.6% of the total energy consumed was recovered through regenerative braking.[31]
A trial of a Colorado Railcar double-deck DMU hauling two Bombardier Bi-level coaches found fuel consumption to be 128 US gallons (480 l; 107 imp gal) for 144 miles (232 km), or 1.125 mpg-US (209.1 L/100 km; 1.351 mpg-imp). The DMU has 92 seats, the coaches typically have 162 seats, for a total of 416 seats. With all seats filled the efficiency would be 468 passenger-miles per US gallon (0.503 L/100 passenger-km; 562 passenger-mpg-imp).[32]
Note that intercity rail in the US reports 3.17 MJ/passenger-km which is several times higher than reported from Japan. Independent transportation researcher David Lawyer attributes this difference to the fact that the losses in electricity generation may not have been taken into account for Japan[33] and that Japanese trains have a larger number of passengers per car.[34]
Modern electric trains like the shinkansen use regenerative braking to return current into the catenary while they brake. This method results in significant energy savings, whereas diesel locomotives (in use on unelectrified railway networks) typically dispose of the energy generated by dynamic braking as heat into the ambient air.[citation needed]
This Swiss Railroad company SBB-CFF-FFS cites 0.082 kWh per passenger-km for traction.
AEA carried out a detailed study of road and rail for the United Kingdom Department for Transport. Final report
Amtrak reports 2005 energy use of 2,935 BTU per passenger-mile (1.9 MJ/passenger-km).[35]
The Passenger Rail (Urban and Intercity) and Scheduled Intercity and All Charter Bus Industries Technological and Operational Improvements - FINAL REPORT states that "Commuter operations can dissipate more than half of their total traction energy in braking for stops." and that "We estimate hotel power to be 35 percent (but it could possibly be as high as 45 percent) of total energy consumed by commuter railways."[36] Having to accelerate and decelerate a heavy train load of people at every stop is inefficient despite regenerative braking which can recover typically around 20% of the energy wasted in braking.
US Passenger transportationThe US Transportation Energy Data Book states the following figures for Passenger transportation in 2006:[42]
Transport mode Average passengers
per vehicle BTU per passenger-mile MJ per passenger-kilometre
Vanpool 6.1 1,322 0.867
Efficient Hybrid 1.57 1,659 1.088
Motorcycles 1.2 1,855 1.216
Rail (Intercity Amtrak) 20.5 2,650 1.737
Rail (Transit Light & Heavy) 22.5 2,784 1.825
Rail (Commuter) 31.3 2,996 1.964
Air 96.2 3,261 2.138
Cars 1.57 3,512 2.302
Personal Trucks 1.72 3,944 2.586
Buses (Transit) 8.8 4,235 2.776
Looks like Vanpool is the most efficient form of transport. Amtrak rates fourth.