COST/BENEFIT EVALUATION OF ELECTRIFICATION OF A U.S. RAIL NETWORK

A model was used to analyze the economics of an electrified U.S. freight-hauling network consisting of 96 route segments for 16 railroads and totaling nearly 29,000 route-miles. For the base case analyzed the rate of return for the network was substantially greater than predicted by previous FRA studies. Considerable variation of rate of return between route segments was found depending on the combination of critical site-specific factors that exist. The factors found to have major influence on the rate of return were traffic density, type of diesel locamotive being replaced, type of electric locomotive, dispatch policy, catenary cost, and differential cost of fuel compared with electricity. The best single surrogate for these factors was found to be annual fuel consumption per route-mile. However, dependency on variables uncorrelated with fuel consumption is still sufficient to require computation of the rate of return.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/939/939-007.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=COST%2FBENEFIT+EVALUATION+OF+ELECTRIFICATION+OF+A+U.S.+RAIL+NETWORK&author=C.+Spenny&author=G.+MOTT&publication_year=1983
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Rail Electrification Systems.Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Spenny, C H
  • MOTT, G B
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 35-44
• Monograph Title: Track design and railroad electrification
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 939
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Cash flow; Financial capital; Mathematical models; Network analysis; Railroad electrification; Return on investment; Traffic density
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391597
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 30 1985 12:00AM