## 1 Introduction
One of these means of transportation is railway systems, widely used worldwide but also with their environmental impacts. It is a fact that humans are fully aware that they need to take action to reduce the effects of their consumption, and a change in consumption patterns is urgent. Efforts are needed to improve the environment and address mental issues associated with the movement of goods from one place to another, especially over long distances. Many countries are setting reduction targets, and one of the key sectors is transportation, which needs to become more sustainable. The European Union aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% by 2050 [14]. Sweden aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the country by 2045, and for this, stakeholders in transportation planning, construction, and infrastructure need to reduce their impacts by half by 2030 [14,15]. Life cycle assessment (LCA) in the transportation sector is becoming more widespread, and the studies conducted so far have often referred to the results obtained as a measure of the transportation flow, usually expressed as a specific weight moved over a particular distance, i.e., t-km [13]. To understand the true impacts of emissions, it is crucial to comprehend how goods and services are consumed by society and measure the resulting effects. Inventories are conducted to assess the environmental impact of activities known to be polluting and environmentally harmful, emitting high levels of CO\({}_{2}\) and greenhouse gases (GHGs), and generating solid waste. These inventories employ tools such as life cycle assessment to provide a more precise understanding. [PERSON] [12] suggests that one of the primary methods for evaluating the environmental impacts of railway transportation is studying its life cycle, which consists of four distinct phases: material extraction and processing, infrastructure construction, vehicle manufacturing, and system operation and maintenance, including end-of-life. Through quantifying these impacts throughout the railway life cycle using data from each stage, strategies can be developed to reduce costs and emissions [16; 17; 18; 19]. Recent studies, including the one conducted by [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] [16; 20], have evaluated and compared the life cycle GHG emissions associated with the four most common types of sleepers in the UK railway network. Additionally, [PERSON] [21] conducted a study on the Dallas to Houston route, which is the busiest corridor among the 18 traffic corridors in Texas. The aim was to assess the environmental impact of the high-speed rail (HSR) system along this corridor throughout its life cycle through estimating CO\({}_{2}\) and GHG emissions per vehicle and dividing them by the number of passengers and kilometers traveled. A thorough analysis of emissions composition and sources was conducted for each life cycle phase to compare the current railway system with the potential HSR system. Results showed that HSR has 27% lower energy use compared to passenger cars [22]. To identify the most resource-intensive and waste-generating phase of the railway system, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of resource consumption throughout the entire life cycle. Through quantifying the CO\({}_{2}\) and GHG emissions during the operation phase, significant efforts can be directed towards reducing emissions from rail transport. It is crucial for the pace of technological advancements in transportation infrastructure construction to surpass that of the average urban economy, ensuring the consistent reduction of energy and carbon footprints in new projects [23]. The effects associated with transport emissions differ across regions, technologies, fuel, and modes, but there are three overarching goals: electrification via hybridization, batteries, and fuel-cell technologies; increasing the number of public transport services; or replacing fossil fuels with their green counterparts (bior fuels or synthetics).