--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trains carrying coal to power plants…" description: "\"The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.\" — James Hansen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg" --- # The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains… ![“The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.” quote by James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg) > “The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.” [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Industrial reliance on coal causes massive mortality and environmental harm. **In simple terms:** Coal power kills people and damages the planet. Key Takeaway Reduce or eliminate coal use. Themes environment health energy policy justice Mood urgent concerned Type activist policy environmental When to use this quote - government policy - energy planning - community activism - corporate responsibility Key Concepts externalities public health climate change Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives can replace coal without harming economies? - How can societies balance energy needs with health? A Different Perspective Transitioning away from coal can be costly and politically contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Plants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plants/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power plants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-plants/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) ## Related quotes > [The president's come out with rules that say 'no new coal-fired power plants,’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-moore-capito/the-president-s-come-out-with-rules-that-say-no-new-coal-fired-power/) [Shelley Moore Capito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-moore-capito/) > [Many coal-fired power plants are being decommissioned or switched over to natural gas, but that takes a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-stansberry/many-coal-fired-power-plants-are-being-decommissioned-or-switched/) [Porter Stansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-stansberry/) > [We could never light another match, and if China continues to build one coal-fired power plant a week, we are doomed. China is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-inslee/we-could-never-light-another-match-and-if-china-continues-to-build/) [Jay Inslee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-inslee/) > [Way back in 2000, the EPA was poised, and, in fact, had drafted a rule, to specially regulate pollution - water pollution and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/way-back-in-2000-the-epa-was-poised-and-in-fact-had-drafted-a-rule-to/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [I think we have to get bolder. Why after Fukushima didn't we all go out and shut down all the nuclear power plants and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-think-we-have-to-get-bolder-why-after-fukushima-didn-t-we-all-go/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Sometimes I feel like a beetle crawling through a fusion power plant. I can feel a certain amount, see a certain amount, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bear/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-beetle-crawling-through-a-fusion-power-plant/) [Greg Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bear/) > [We should have a debt that grows our productivity, we cant borrow to pay salaries. I can borrow to build power plants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-fashola/we-should-have-a-debt-that-grows-our-productivity-we-cant-borrow-to/) [Babatunde Fashola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-fashola/) > [When people conceptualize a cyber-attack, they do tend to think about parts of the critical infrastructure like power plants, water supplies, and similar sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/when-people-conceptualize-a-cyber-attack-they-do-tend-to-think-about/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [People are the common denominator of progress. So... no improvement is possible with unimproved people, and advance is certain when people are liberated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/people-are-the-common-denominator-of-progress-so-no-improvement-is/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Any first-generation technology will. But we are looking at carbon the same way we look at every pollutant under the Clean Air Act; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-mccarthy/any-first-generation-technology-will-but-we-are-looking-at-carbon-the/) [Gina McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-mccarthy/) > [ Two \[Massachusetts coal burning power plants\] remain: Brayton Point in the South Coast region and Mt. Tom, just down the road. Within the next… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/two-massachusetts-coal-burning-power-plants-remain-brayton-point-in/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [When you look at the number of nuclear power plants in China and India, we can't afford not to pursue similar alternative energy sources.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-latta/when-you-look-at-the-number-of-nuclear-power-plants-in-china-and/) [Bob Latta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-latta/) > [Imposing excessive new regulations, or closing coal-fired power plants, would produce few health or environmental benefits. But it would exact huge costs on society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-driessen/imposing-excessive-new-regulations-or-closing-coal-fired-power-plants/) [Paul Driessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-driessen/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Nuclear power as a solution to global warming is theoretically possible, but the proliferation problems and accident risks it would create would, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-makhijani/nuclear-power-as-a-solution-to-global-warming-is-theoretically/) Arjun Makhijani ## More by James Hansen > [Talking nice about sun and wind and green jobs is just greenwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/talking-nice-about-sun-and-wind-and-green-jobs-is-just-greenwash/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [What is frustrating people, me included, is that democratic action affects elections but what we get then from political leaders is greenwash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/what-is-frustrating-people-me-included-is-that-democratic-action/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The five-year mean global temperature has been flat for the last decade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-five-year-mean-global-temperature-has-been-flat-for-the-last/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [What makes tar sands particularly odious is that the energy you get out in the end, per unit carbon dioxide, is poor. It's equivalent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/what-makes-tar-sands-particularly-odious-is-that-the-energy-you-get/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [We are on the precipice of climate system tipping points beyond which there is no redemption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-climate-system-tipping-points-beyond-which/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Jail threats did not dissuade Martin Luther King - and intergenerational justice is a moral issue of comparable magnitude to civil rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/jail-threats-did-not-dissuade-martin-luther-king-and/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The United States did not sign Kyoto, yet its emissions are not that different from the countries that did sign it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-united-states-did-not-sign-kyoto-yet-its-emissions-are-not-that/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The five-year mean global temperature has been flat for the last decade, which we interpret as a combination of natural variability and a slow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-five-year-mean-global-temperature-has-been-flat-for-the-last-2/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Rising carbon price is essential to 'decarbonize' the economy - to remove the nation towards the era beyond fossil fuels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/rising-carbon-price-is-essential-to-decarbonize-the-economy-to-remove/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [Policy decisions on climate change are being deliberated every day by those without full knowledge of the science, and often with intentional misinformation spawned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/policy-decisions-on-climate-change-are-being-deliberated-every-day-by/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [ Imagine a giant asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth. That is the equivalent of what we face now \[with climate change\], yet… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/imagine-a-giant-asteroid-on-a-direct-collision-course-with-earth-that/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The most difficult task, phase-out over the next 20-25 years of coal use that does not capture COâ‚‚, is Herculean, yet feasible when compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-most-difficult-task-phase-out-over-the-next-20-25-years-of-coal/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [As species are exterminated by shifting climate zones, ecosystems can collapse, destroying more species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/as-species-are-exterminated-by-shifting-climate-zones-ecosystems-can/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [I think we have a very brief window of opportunity to deal with climate change... no longer than a decade, at the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/i-think-we-have-a-very-brief-window-of-opportunity-to-deal-with/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) > [The climate system is being pushed hard enough that change will become obvious to the man in the street in the next decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-climate-system-is-being-pushed-hard-enough-that-change-will/) [James Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) [Explore all 94 James Hansen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/) ## More Carrying quotes > [I had to get to the point where I just had to embrace carrying the torch for the traditional girls out there. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamera-mowry/i-had-to-get-to-the-point-where-i-just-had-to-embrace-carrying-the/) [Tamera Mowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamera-mowry/) > [I've always found a cure for the blues is wandering into something unknown, and resting there, before coming back to whatever weight you were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/i-ve-always-found-a-cure-for-the-blues-is-wandering-into-something/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/i-compare-the-troubles-which-we-have-to-undergo-in-the-course-of-the/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [I don't believe in carrying a weapon. If somebody wants to shoot me, he'll have to bring his own gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-don-t-believe-in-carrying-a-weapon-if-somebody-wants-to-shoot-me-he/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [“I was taught never to make a threat unless you are prepared to carry it out and I am not a fan of carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thorne/i-was-taught-never-to-make-a-threat-unless-you-are-prepared-to-carry/) [David Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thorne/) > [I started carrying blank books like this one around, which I would fill with all the things I couldn't say...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-started-carrying-blank-books-like-this-one-around-which-i-would/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I think we need to be very wary of systems where it's the public that is carrying the burden of doing cleanup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lina-khan/i-think-we-need-to-be-very-wary-of-systems-where-it-s-the-public-that/) [Lina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lina-khan/) > [I certainly feel I'm carrying the flag for Britain. I feel an honour in that but, at the same time, knowing my roots are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-froome/i-certainly-feel-i-m-carrying-the-flag-for-britain-i-feel-an-honour/) [Chris Froome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-froome/) > [She said PICK UP WHAT'S YOURS & GET OUT! So I picked her up & started walking & She said, WHY ARE YOU CARRYING…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/she-said-pick-up-what-s-yours-get-out-so-i-picked-her-up-started/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“It would be much too difficult for anyone to get in and out of this area, especially if they were carrying questionable loads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-would-be-much-too-difficult-for-anyone-to-get-in-and-out-of-this/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [It's my strength for holding on, every minute that I have to be gone. I'll have everything I'll ever need, I'm carrying your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce/it-s-my-strength-for-holding-on-every-minute-that-i-have-to-be-gone-i/) [Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce/) > [To be on the world stage carrying our flag and representing the U.S. Paralympic Team is a huge honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-schultz/to-be-on-the-world-stage-carrying-our-flag-and-representing-the-u-s/) [Mike Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-schultz/) > [I have no problem putting on a kit, carrying a big sniper rifle, and running a few thousand meters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kennedy/i-have-no-problem-putting-on-a-kit-carrying-a-big-sniper-rifle-and/) [Tim Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kennedy/) > [You stand out in the crowd only because you have these many, many carrying you on their shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/you-stand-out-in-the-crowd-only-because-you-have-these-many-many/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [President Obama has a good sense not just of the economic requisites for financial crisis firefighting but also how you build political support for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lael-brainard/president-obama-has-a-good-sense-not-just-of-the-economic-requisites/) [Lael Brainard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lael-brainard/) Browse all 302 Carrying quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Hansen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants-are-death-trains-coal-fired/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carrying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants-are-death-trains-coal-fired/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/831/james-hansen-7143_carrying_the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants_2493334.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The trains carrying coal to power plants are death trains. Coal-fired power plants are factories of death.” — James Hansen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Hansen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hansen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The trains carrying coal to power...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants-are-death-trains-coal-fired/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hansen/the-trains-carrying-coal-to-power-plants-are-death-trains-coal-fired/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```