LINEAR PROGRAMMING SIMULATION OF ROUTING EMPTY RAILROAD CARS

This paper describes the application of a linear programming model to the routing of empty railroad cars to determine where excess capacity exists. One of the more important results is simply that the solution of a model of this size and complexity is feasible. The model showed that there were a number of railroad routes over which an appreciable flow of empty cars moved and that filling these cars could provide very low cost transportation. Finally, the solution of the linear programming problem provides a series of shadow prices for cars in different locations that can be used in setting rates, which is a new approach to incorporating directional factors into rate setting.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/577/577-005.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=LINEAR+PROGRAMMING+SIMULATION+OF+ROUTING+EMPTY+RAILROAD+CARS&author=E.+Miller&publication_year=1976
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309024919
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Passenger and Freight Transportation Characteristics. 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:
  • Miller, Edward
• Conference:
  • 54th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia
  • Date: 1975-1-13 to 1975-1-17
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 35-43
• Monograph Title: Transportation Characteristics of Truck, Rail, and Water Freight
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 577
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Linear programming; Operations research; Origin and destination; Productivity; Railcar distribution; Railcar utilization; Railroad cars; Rates; Routing; Simulation; Utilization
• Old TRIS Terms: Low costs
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Railroads; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00139646
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309024919
• Report/Paper Numbers: Conf. Rpt.
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Nov 17 1976 12:00AM