While your point may be true about moving people, the weight of what is being moved is less than the device doing the moving, it doesn't apply necessarily for moving freight by train.
For moving typical goods, say by intermodal transport, the goods can easily exceed the weight of the unloaded train (including locomotives). When you get to moving heavier material, say iron ore, the material can weigh more than the 5 times that of the unloaded train.
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While your point may be true about moving people, the weight of what is being moved is less than the device doing the moving, it doesn't apply necessarily for moving freight by train. For moving typical goods, say by intermodal transport, the goods can easily exceed the weight of the unloaded train (including locomotives). When you get to moving heavier material, say iron ore, the material can weigh more than the 5 times that of the unloaded train.