PHYSICAL SECURITY IN RAILROAD INTERMODAL TERMINALS

A corporate commitment to good security is vital in preventing thefts of containers, trailers, and lading from railway intermodal terminals. The mobility of trailers, their relatively high value, and the significant volume transported by rail make them lucrative targets for thieves often associated with organized crime. Thefts that occur at intermodal terminals can represent corporate losses in the hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of dollars. Security at intermodal terminals tends to be reactive to current criminal activity, rather than proactive or preventive. To obtain optimum crime prevention, design engineers and operating managers need to consider security a high or main priority in planning and operating the intermodal facility. Physical design and daily operating procedures can significantly deter crime. The security of intermodal terminals should include several broad factors such as psychological deterrence, physical security measures, and procedural checks and balances. Although the focus of this paper is on railroad intermodal terminals, the same principles of security are applicable to other types of intermodal facilities.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/state-of-the-art/4/4-021.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08926891
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appeared in Transportation Research Board State-of-the-Art Report 4, Facing the Challenge, The Intermodal Terminal of the Future, Conference on Intermodal Freight Terminal Design, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 2-5, 1986. 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
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • BALL, C R
  • Rusteberg, J W
• Conference:
  • Facing the Challenge. The Intermodal Terminal of the Future
  • Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Date: 1986-3-2 to 1986-3-5
• Publication Date: 1986

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 134-139
• Serial:
  • State-of-the-Art Report
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0892-6891

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Crimes; Freight terminals; Intermodal terminals; Prevention; Safety; Security; Theft
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deterrence
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Freight Transportation; Highways; Pavements; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Terminals and Facilities; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00472284
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 31 1987 12:00AM