Belly said;
>I have no doubts,we will find other fuels, civilization demands it.

I am afraid that the business as usual alternative fuel you are
expecting to see is the magic silver bullet for which politicians seem
to be waiting.
The people in the know seem to be saying that there is nothing in sight
or ever likely to be that has the energy density and the volume
capacity of oil.

Sure Belly we will have various types of bio fuels, but the volume
needed is beyond the possible without starving the world population.
From my reading the problem is a fundamental one of chemistry.
The two bugbears are energy density and EREOI.
Even if we could overcome these two problems there remains the problem
of cost. Could we afford the alternative ?
Would an electrified railway be so much cheaper than any alternative
fuel that it would be no contest ?

Your point about load on, off on and off was solved many years ago.
Roll on/off and automatic container loading/unloading has been
installed in a number of countries. There was a doco on TV recently
about such a system. Was it QR ? I can't remember.
Anyway that argument has long been not valid.
The trucks pulled alongside and the container slid sideways onto the
rail flatcar. I see them coming through my local station at 100km/hr
60 to 80 flat cars with two 40 ft containers on each.
West of Parkes they are stacked two high as well I believe.
It is hard to see trucks keeping up with that once it is all set up
and electrified with double track between capital cities.

Bazz Gday, well aware of your views on this subject but do not agree.
Peak oil is not yet but coming.
I think arjay would be pleased if my thoughts here have an airing.
We you and I are not in control and for sure not as informed as we should be.
Internationally,in my view a foot is on the heads of new fuels.
We see new fuels too slow too expensive too little.
And I truly think it is because interests higher than ours are in control.
Think of the trillions involved in oil, trillions again in service stations.
IF you lead this country,and knew oil was not going to be around in ten years, would you produce ethanol? no not from food grains but other vegetation .
We will not grind to a stop, not return to the caves the human brain will save us.
Think about the last 100 years see how far we have come.
In fact my passion for road construction/repair leaves me sorry I will not see how far it progresses in the next two decades, one maybe two not much chance

Sorry but mate have a look at road transport as it is, many loads are to be dropped at multiple sites, just one load.
How can a train deliver to a lane way or factory without a rail head?
No alternative exists for some, not all road transport.

Belly;

Peak crude oil occurred in 2005.
Even the optimistic International Energy Authority now says peak crude
oil occurred in 2006.

Peak Crude oil plus all liquids occurred in 2008.

Sooner or later the long distance trucks will go.
In the US the percentage of freight on trucks is declining and the
percentage on rail is increasing.
As things develop more production will be local anyway.

Thats the way it is going and the problems you mention will be
overcome with local deliveries. All this was done before by rail and
it was only cheap fuel that changed everything.
It will be expensive fuel and/or rationing that will change it back.