FREIGHT CAR DEMAND INFORMATION AND FORECASTING RESEARCH PROJECT. PHASE I

The report describes the features and requirements of an improved demand information and forecasting system. The following conclusions were reached: the level of demand is inadequately measured; shipper demand is highly variable, often ranging from plus or minus 50 percent of the average; because of the high purchase price of freight cars, it is prohibitively expensive to respond to these short-term variations in demand by maintaining a sufficient inventory of empty cars to accommodate the highest level of demand at each location; the time lag to recognize and react to change results in many orders being filled late and some amount of business lost to alternative transportation modes; and the size and the impact of the time lag can be reduced if potential surplus and deficit areas can be predicted and car flows adjusted to reduce imbalances before they occur. A demand information and forecasting system is being designed and evaluated on the basis of this study.

• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads

  50 F Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001-1564

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Policy and Program Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Minger, W K
  • Williams, D J
  • Hargrove, M B
• Publication Date: 1975-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 189 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Car distribution (Railroads); Car supply (Railroads); Car utilization (Railroads); Demand; Economic factors; Fleet management; Forecasting; Freight cars; Freight traffic; Information systems; Management information systems; Planning; Railroad transportation; Railroads; Shortages; Traffic forecasting; Traffic managers; Utilization; Variables
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shippers
• Old TRIS Terms: Fleet planning
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00147391
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FRA/OPPD-76/9 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-30058
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 15 1977 12:00AM