THE FIGHT BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND SURVIVAL: HEAVY CARS VERSUS SHORT LINE RAILROADS?

A transition to heavier rail cars has been underway in the U.S. for many years. Larger rail cars offer many cost savings over mainline railroads due to their higher net weight-to-tare weight ratios. Larger cars used in unit train service also reduce labor costs/ton-mile because a given train length is comprised of more revenue tons. If these cost efficiencies are transferred into rate reduction, shippers as well directly benefit. However, the economic benefits of larger cars must be weighed against the increased equipment and track maintenance costs that would result from their use. Systemwide use of large, 286,000-lb cars would require travel over branch lines and short line networks. The State of Washington has an extensive array of abandoned and short line railroads, which were not built to the same standards as Class I railroad mainlines. The inability of short line railroads to handle the heavier cars desired by Class I railroads points to a need for significant capital investment in these light density lines. The aim of this paper was to study potential impacts of heavier cars on light-density track and short line railroads in Washington, and provide information for planning/investment uses.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/11832770
• Corporate Authors:

  Canadian Transportation Research Forum

  209-15 Innovation Boulevard
  Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Casavant, K L
  • Lenzi, J
  • Tolliver, D
• Conference:
  • 2001: A Transportation Odyssey. Canadian Transportation Research Forum. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference
  • Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
  • Date: 2001-5-6 to 2001-5-9
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 221-234
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Canadian Transportation Research Forum
  • Publisher: Canadian Transportation Research Forum
  • ISSN: 1183-2770

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Economic benefits; Freight traffic; Freight transportation; Heavy vehicles; Railroad cars by type; Railroad facilities; Railroad transportation; Railroads; Short line railroads; Transportation planning
• Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00924994
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume 1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 16 2002 12:00AM