THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIT TRAIN 1960-69

Much useful data on the economic forces behind the development of unit trains in the USA are assembled in this research paper. By adopting new operating methods rail was able to retain coal traffic threatened by slurry pipelines, pithead power generation and even nuclear power. Many other products were subsequently moved by unit trains, and rail's share of inter-city freight was maintained at over 40 percent as a result. Unfortunately, the period studied excludes the energy crisis of 1973-74 which improved long-term prospects for unit train coal traffic significantly.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Chicago

  Department of Geography, South University Avenue
  Chicago, IL  United States  60637
• Authors:
  • STARR, J T
• Publication Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Coal; Coal industry; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Unit trains
• Old TRIS Terms: Operating strategies
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00149379
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 27 1977 12:00AM