Efficient train systems for freight transport: a systems study. Principal report

The railways in Europe have lost market share in an expanding market - almost all the increase has gone to road haulage. This is true of both high-value freight and low-value freight. The railways' position is especially weak when it comes to international traffic, despite the long distances and substantial volumes. This is a result of bureaucracy and high track access charges, which make it difficult to control the whole transport chain and guarantee adequate quality for the customers at competitive prices. This project has aimed to identify development potential for an efficient train system in a long-term perspective. The starting point for this project was on the one hand the customers' requirements in different sub-markets and on the other the possibilities that exist to develop the supply both on the part of the railways themselves and in combination with other modes of transport. The purpose of the study is: to describe how future rail freight transport systems can be designed taking into consideration the railways' development potential, the market, and the customers' requirements and values; to identify the critical factors on the basis of sub-markets and the railways' possible future performance on the basis of available technology and how it can be used in different products; to evaluate the future products in a business economics persective on the basis of different sub-markets and customers' requirements; to study inertia and adaptation mechanisms in the market and the environmental aspects; to define strategically important factors that should be the object of continued R&D. The study is primarily limited to long-haul freight transport in Sweden, where international traffic in Europe constitutes one of the important foundations. An international perspective is applied as regards technological development, where the USA is an important reference. The study is focused on the railway system, but other modes of transport are also taken up where they are used in combination with rail.

• Corporate Authors:

  Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

  Department of Aeronautical and Vehicle Engineering, Railway Group
  Stockhom,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • NELLDAL, B -
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 265p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 0505

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Containers; Demand; Driving; Economic efficiency; Freight cars; Freight terminals; Freight trains; Freight transportation; Highway capacity; Loads; Locomotives; Markets; Railroad transportation; Technology
• ITRD Terms: 645: Capacity (traffic network); 1020: Container (freight); 285: Demand (econ); 237: Economic efficiency; 1092: Freight terminal; 1277: Freight train; 1112: Freight transport; 5567: Load; 1267: Locomotive; 236: Market; 1173: Rail bound transport; 1278: Railway wagon (freight); 3855: Technology; 1646: Vehicle handling
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01081575
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Nov 29 2007 12:40PM