If pipelines are so efficient, I wonder why most coal is moved on rail. There were a few power plants that used to use slurried coal but the ones I'm aware of have long since shut down. Many years ago, there was talk of moving Powder River Basin coal by pipeline but things got messy when folks got wind that the water used in the slurry could be cleaned up and used for water, with the coal being little more than an excuse. Think of how it might go over if the coal companies tried to use Great Lakes water to move coal to the desert SW with the cleaned up water used to supply Phoenix and L.A. 
I think one of the current benefits of using rail is the fact that the ROW is already there and no condemnation proceedings are needed to use the existing rail. Not the case for pipeline and powerline access any more. Seems like everyone that the line crosses wants their share of the pie + they want to make sure that they get just a bit more than anyone else that gets encroached on