NORTH DAKOTA STRATEGIC FREIGHT ANALYSIS. ITEM IV. HEAVIER LOADING RAIL CARS

North Dakota's grain producers rely on an efficient rail system to move their products to export and domestic markets. In the 1999-2000 crop year, approximately 69% of all North Dakota grains and oilseeds transported to export and domestic markets were transported by rail. A recent shift to larger grain hopper cars may threaten the viability of the state's light-density branch line network. The old industry standard of 263,000-pound cars capable of hauling 100 tons of grain is being replaced with 286,000-pound cars capable of hauling 111 tons of grain. Many light-density branch lines cannot handle these larger cars, as they have light rail in place, shallow or poor ballast, and/or deferred tie maintenance. Although it is possible to load the larger rail cars at lighter weights or operate at lower speeds on such lines, railroads operating over such lines eventually will face a decision between upgrading and abandoning lines that cannot handle the 286,000-pound cars at full weight. This study simulates the impacts of handling larger rail cars on many types of rail lines, models the decision process used by railroads in deciding whether to upgrade such lines or abandon them, estimates the costs of upgrading rail lines that are unlikely to be upgraded, and estimates generalized highway impacts that could result from the abandonment of non-upgraded lines.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=384
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/64715
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This study was sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

  North Dakota State University
  1320 Albrecht Boulevard
  Fargo, ND  United States  581052
• Authors:
  • Bitzan, J D
  • Tolliver, D D
• Publication Date: 2001-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 93 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abandonment; Branch lines; Cost estimating; Costs; Decision making; Freight trains; Grain; Hopper cars; Impacts; Modernization; Simulation; Strategic planning; Tonnage ratings
• Uncontrolled Terms: Highway impacts
• Geographic Terms: North Dakota
• Subject Areas: Finance; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00932151
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: NTL, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 2002 12:00AM