DOUBLE STACK CONTAINER SYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR U.S. RAILROADS AND PORTS. FINAL REPORT

This study assesses the potential for domestic double-stack container transportation and the implications of expanded double-stack systems for railroads, ports, and ocean carriers. The study suggests that double-stack service can be fully competitive with trucks in dense traffic corridors of 725 miles or more. There are opportunities to substantially increase double-stack service in existing corridors and to introduce double-stack service in secondary corridors, in outlying areas near major hubs, and for refrigerated commodities. To meet the challenge of providing and marketing a reliable, high quality, door-to-door service, railroads may have to take unaccustomed steps into marketing and customer service, or become strictly line-haul carriers. Ports must accommodate international double-stack growth, but they will be only indirectly affected by domestic containerization. Intermodal affiliates of ocean carriers will retain their leadership role in domestic containerization, while the ocean carriers themselves concentrate on international movements and markets.

• Record URL:
  https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/double-stack-container-systems-implications-us-railroads-and-ports-final-report
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also FRA-RRP-90-1 (Executive Summary) and FRA-RRP-90-3 (Bibliography).
• Corporate Authors:

  Manalytics, Incorporated

  625 Third Street
  San Francisco, CA  United States  94107

  Federal Railroad Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Maritime Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • SMITH, D S
• Publication Date: 1990-6

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 357 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Containers; Customer service; Intermodal transportation; International transportation; Marketing; Ocean shipping; Ports; Railroads; Ship lines
• Uncontrolled Terms: Double stack container cars; Ocean carriers
• Subject Areas: Highways; Railroads; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00496695
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FRA-RRP-90-2, MA-PORT-830-90009
• Contract Numbers: DTFR53-88-C-00020
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1990 12:00AM