A couple of weeks ago I was asked to research the facts for an infographic for Metrolink’s newsletter — Metrolink Matters. I thought it would be fun to tell you how I got to some of these calculations.

1. 3,094,917 Hot Dogs could fit in 1 Metrolink passenger car

1 Average Metrolink Train Car has a total volume equal to 85′ x 9’10” x 15′ = 1020″ x 118″ x 180″ ≈ 21,664,800 cubic inches

1 Average hot dog is approximately 1″ x 1″ x 7″ or 7 cubic inches.

21,664,800 cubic inches per car / 7 cubic inches per hot dog ≈ 3,094,917 hot dogs per 1 Metrolink passenger coach

2. THE AMOUNT OF CO2 METROLINK RIDERS PREVENT FROM BEING RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE EACH YEAR IS EQUAL TO PLANTING 2 million trees

Approximate amount of CO2 Metrolink riders prevent from being release into the atmosphere each year by choosing Metrolink instead of the car is about 100,000,000 lb CO2.

One average tree removes 48 lb of CO2 within a year.

100,000,000 lb CO2 prevented from release / 48 lb CO2 per tree per year ≈ 2,000,000 trees per year

3. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO RIDE METROLINK EACH YEAR INSTEAD OF DRIVING IS EQUAL TO: 122 sold-out NFL football stadiums

Approximate number of Metrolink riders who chose Metrolink over a car is 8,500,000 riders per year (trips per year).

Average NFL Football stadium holds approximately 69,000 per game.

8,500,000 people per year / 69,000 stadium seats per game ≈ 122 sold out stadiums

4. METROLINK RUNS ITS TRAINS 11,200 miles per day (equal to 2 round-trips between LA & NYC)

“As the crow flies” distance between LA and NYC 2,445 mi.

11,200 mi / 2,445 mi per one-way trip LA NYC ≈ 4.6 one-way trips = 2 round trips plus 60% of a one way trip ≈ 2 round trips.