1. CE 533 Introduction to Rail Transportation (2)
Railroads were America’s First Large Corporations
Had a Monopoly on Transportation
Heavily Regulated until 1970s/1980s
U.S. Railroads Privately Owned
U.S. Railroads are Primarily Freight
U.S. Rail Passenger Service is Heavily Subsidized by the Public

2. Introduction Adequate Transportation System
Efficient Movement of Goods and People
Provides No Basic Intrinsic Value
Provides “Value Added”
Necessary for Economy and Development

3. Early Modes of Transportation in the U.S.
Waterways
Crude Roads
Rivers/Canals 1700’s
Railroads 1830
Better Roads Trucks/Automobiles early 1920’s
Air – Passengers 1950s
Interstates Trucks/Automobiles early 1960s
Railroads 2000s!!!

4. Current Modes of Transportation in the U.S.
Highway Trucks
Waterways
Airways
Conveyor Belts
Pipeline
Railways

5. Why is railroad freight transport so important now, and even more so in the future?
Lets consider the alternatives for inland transport:
truck, water, air, pipeline, conveyor belt

6. Waterways Pros and Cons
Pros: Energy efficiency, low cost, low pollution, safety, capacity
Cons: Speed, limited network

7. Highway Truck Pros and Cons
Pros: Speed, reliability, network coverage
Cons: Energy efficiency, safety, land use, pollution, cost, congestion (because of shared use of infrastructure truck transport affects auto safety and congestion as well)
How many truckloads can a railcar carry?

8. Pros: Speed, reliability, network coverage
Airways Pros and Cons
Pros: Speed, reliability, network coverage
Cons: Energy efficiency, cost, limited volume

9. Pipelines and Conveyor Belts
Pros: High volume, continuous transport possible, no vehicles needed, low labor requirements
Cons: Highly constrained types of commodities, limited product flexibility, speed and network

10. Rail uniquely combines speed and energy efficiency
*Plus environmentally Friendly

11. Rail is the principal means of economically moving large, heavy freight long distances overland

12. North American freight transportation volume by mode1 6 1 4 1 2 1
Billions of Ton-Miles 8 6 4
Railroad transportation is vital to the nation’s economy
Railroads transport more ton-miles of inter-city freight then any other mode.
When one considers railroads’ inherent efficiencies in energy, emissions and land-use, their role is also vital to long-term sustainability in our increasingly complex technological society. 2
Rail Truck Pipeline Waterways Air R a i l T r u c k P i p e l i n e W a t e r w a y s A i r
Source: AAR from Eno Foundation for Transportation

15. Common Goals & Functions of the Railroad Industry
The movement of Freight and People in the most efficient manner possible
Principal Function in U.S.
Hauling Freight (~43+%)
Characteristics
Fast
Reliable
Convenient
Economical
Safe/Secure
Fuel Efficient
Environmentally Friendly
Renewed Interest in Passenger Rail

16. Early Regulations Land Grants (1850-1870)
Business Transactions
Development of Central and Western U.S.
Repaid
Interstate Commerce Commission (1887)
Surface Transportation Board ( )

17. Recent Significant Legislation
Phase 1:
1971 Amtrak
1983 RRB / Depreciation
Phase 2:
1973 3R Act
1976 4R Act
1980 Staggers (Deregulation)
Phase 3:
1992 ISTEA
1998 T21
2004 SAFETEA-LU
2008 Safety Improvements
2010 Surface Transportation Assistance Act

18. The Fundamental Principle of Rail Transport - EFFICIENCY Implications for Economics, Energy & Environment or Why Rail Transport is More Important Than Ever!

19. US 20th Century was about CONVENIENCE The 21st must consider EFFICIENCY as well
Then
Abundant: energy, land, natural resources and labor
Now
Diminishing resources:
Energy
Air quality
Water
Land
Congestion
Need more efficient use of transportation infrastructure
Stronger global competition

20. Speed and Resistance by Transport Mode
SPEED (mph)
RESISTANCE (lbs./ton)
Boat
Airplanes
Trucks
Rail uniquely combines High Speed and Low Resistance

21. Lower coefficient of rolling friction (μR)
Steel wheel on steel rail has lower rolling friction (μR) than rubber tire on pavement:
Steel wheel on rail: μR = 0.001
Truck tire on pavement: μR = to 0.010
Tire is 6 to 10 times greater than steel wheel
Consequently lower rolling resistance
But why…?
Rubber tire
Small effects of static friction and adhesion of the rubber
Major factor is the deformation of the tire while rolling under load
Pavement deflection also contributes
Steel wheel and rail experience elastic deformation under load as well, but much less

22. Energy efficiency truck vs. rail
How far can each mode transport a given amount of freight for a given amount of energy?
Specifically, how far can we transport one ton of freight with one gallon of diesel fuel?
Rail is over 3 times more efficient than truck
(AAR & FRA data)

23. Automotive Energy Efficiency
Assume:
200 lb person
Drives 100 miles
Auto gets 25 mpg
Rail=480 ton-miles/gallon
Truck=120 ton-miles/gallon

24. Railroad transportation efficiency
Railroads produce “output” more efficiently than their principal competition: trucks
What is transportation “output”
Ton miles
Passenger miles
Why are railroads so efficient?
Low rolling friction
Large size
Trains

25. Larger Size of rail vehicles permits economies of scale
Strong railroad infrastructure allows larger, heavier vehicles than is practical for highways
Permits economies of scale
Larger vehicles can transport more weight with less resistance per unit
Larger engines can convert energy to work more efficiently

26. “Trains” permit two more important economies of scale
The ability to operate many vehicles coupled together permits two substantial economies of scale
Labor: one or two people can operate a single train with 100 to 150 cars (or more). Considering that each railcar is roughly equivalent to three trucks, the economies are substantial.
Energy: close spacing of cars in train substantially reduces aerodynamic resistance compared to trucks. This effect is particularly important at higher speeds (> 40mph)

27. One “E” leads to three
Rail efficiency leads to three fundamental elements of railroad importance to society
All are important now but there is a chronology to our understanding of these
Economics: rail transport was and is less expensive than its competition, therefore critical to a competitive economy
Energy: efficient use of fuel was always part of rail’s economic efficiency, but energy scarcity enhances this aspect
Environment: fewer emissions and land use required per unit of transportation output means rail is part of the quest for sustainability

28. Rail Transport is Economical
This was the original motivation for development of railroads
Before rail there was no practical way to move heavy goods long distances overland unless there was a navigable river or a canal was built
Low cost transport CREATES markets for both goods and people
Permits development of large, complex, economies with diverse products and skills

29. Rail Transport is Energy Efficient
Transportation Energy Use by Mode 2002
Normalized Comparison by Transport Mode
Federal Highway Administration

30. Projected energy consumption by sector
Transportation is the second largest consumer of energy
Largest consumer of petroleum

31. Rail transport is more environmentally sustainable
Transportation is responsible for a substantial portion of air pollution
Greater energy efficiency of rail corresponds with reduced emissions of noxious pollutants and CO2
Growing concern about the importance of greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution in general, means that rail’s importance as a less polluting form of transport will increase
Substantial R&D on locomotive technology over the past 20 years has substantially reduced locomotive emissions
Technology for electric motive power is mature and used widely elsewhere in the world. Presently not economic in US but if petroleum scarcity or environmental concerns require it, the transition is possible without substantial new technology development
Carbon Emissions by Sector 2002
Railroad Electrifications Proposals in the 1970s

32. Rail transport requires less land per unit of transport
Transportation output per unit of land is considerably greater for rail compared to highway
More units per vehicle (tons or people)
Fewer vehicles, and they are consolidated into trains
Easier to accommodate temporal differences in directional traffic

33. Rail transport benefits due to these efficiencies: but exploiting them imposes constraints as well
Infrastructure design - Heavy loads and high speeds demands particularly robust infrastructure system design and components
Vehicle design - Large, heavy vehicles capable of supporting their own weight plus lading, and also very large in-train “buff” & “draft” forces
Infrastructure and equipment cost - Large size and strength of infrastructure makes it expensive and capital intensive
Trains - Require standardization of many aspects of design, this combined with their high cost means there is a need for long life, thereby imposing reverse compatibility constraints on new technology
Traffic control system - High speeds and mass of trains, combined with low coefficient of friction at wheel/rail interface means stopping distances are very long, often longer than sight distance
Small markets - Ironically, in some important aspects railroads suffer because they cannot exploit economies of scale, e.g. long life and small market for locomotives means it is hard to justify investment in new tooling as technology advances

34. Benefits to the Environment

41. 1 Train = 1 ton of freight carried 435
1 Train = 1 ton of freight carried miles on 1 gallon of diesel fuel
(86% improvement since 1980)
1 Train = 280 truckloads
1 Train = 3 to 4 times more fuel efficient
than trucks

42. Rail vs. Truck
During the last four years, there has been a fundamental shift in the competitive environment between rail and truck
Shift primarily due to:
Increased fuel costs
Congestion on highway system
Reduced hours of service for truck drivers
Driver shortages
Shift appears to be permanent
Fundamental shift in the last 5 years in the competitive economics of truck vs. rail.
Shift appears to be permanent and is a function of factors we are all familiar with, increased fuel cost (rail is 3-4 times more fuel efficient than truck), congestion on the highways, new regulations reducing the number of consecutive hours that a truck driver can drive, and driver shortages due to demographic shifts and life style issues.

44. Revenue Effect of 1% Shift in Truck Industry
-1%
Trucking
$623 billion industry
Railroads
$48 billion industry
1% shift of trucking's revenue to rail
Top-line growth of 13% for railroads ($6.2 billion)
$623b
1% shift in trucking revenue market share to rail.
Based on 2005 numbers, trucking is about a $623 billion business, rail is about a $48 billion business.
A shift of 1% of market share from truck to rail, means a 13% increase for rail. This is one of the main reasons we have seen the tremendous growth in rail traffic over the last 5 years.
+13 %
$48b
Trucking
Rail
Data Source: AAR, ATA

45. Increased Public Interest in Rail
Increased awareness of rail as a solution to congestion, pollution, and fuel inefficiency
Increased motivation to invest public money in rail infrastructure
Heartland
CREATE
Green Power (Locomotives)
I81
There is an increased recognition that rail is part of the solution to key public concerns like congestion, pollution, and fuel efficiency.
Norfolk Southern has several key initiatives underway in cooperation with various public entities, in what we term public-private partnerships.
Heartland Corridor- improve the clearances on our route between here in Norfolk to the midwest to allow the movement of doublestack containers.
CREATE-improve the efficiency of the key rail interchange location in the Chicago area
Green Power Locomotives-hybrid locomotives with substantial reductions in fuel consumption and reduced emissions
I81-Crescent Corridor-Take 1 million trucks off the highway and put them on NS

47. Genset and Hybrid Switchers

48. In the last 20 years… Vehicle travel increased 78%
Road miles increased only 1%
Highway congestion is a fact of life, especially in urban areas, and is getting worse.
Over the last 20 years, vehicle travel has increased 78% while the miles of highway have only increased 1%
Traffic congestion costs the U.S. $67 billion annually

49. Congested Highway Segments - 1998
This is what highway congestion looked like in 1998.
Red denotes segments where traffic exceeded capacity. Not too bad, except in large metro areas.

50. Potential Congested Segments - 2020
This is what highway congestion is projected to look like in 2020, just 13 years from now.
Remember, red means exceeds capacity
A lot of red, spreading out into more rural areas

51. Summary Rail Industry is growing
Rail has become a viable alternative to truck
Spike in Public Interest due to
Highway congestion
Population growth
Environmental issues
Significant investment required to accommodate growth for freight and passenger
Rail growing
Rail is a viable alternative to truck
High public interest in rail to address highway congestion and environmental impact of population growth.
We will need to make significant investments in capacity to accommodate growth.
The rail Industry has become a high growth industry after years of decline
The rail Industry, especially Norfolk Southern, represents a tremendous career opportunity for your best graduates.
Any questions??? .

52. Broad set of safety concerns for railroads
Safety of passengers, employees, infrastructure, rolling stock, hazardous materials, operations, highway vehicles, pedestrians and communities

53. SAFETY FIRST! Railroads have fostered a strong safety culture among operating employees for nearly a century
Dates to the “Safety First” movement of the early decades of the 20th century
Railroads continuously stress safety in and out of the workplace
Bureau of Labor Statistics data support the railroads’ safety record
Railroad employees are steeped in promoting safety throughout their operations.
This safety ethic has been central to railroads for nearly 100 years dating back to the SAFETY FIRST campaigns of the early 20th century.
Maintaining high safety awareness and training employees to operate safely is an ongoing activity.
The rise of information and communications technology over the past 5 years has been embraced by railroads to make training both more efficient and effective.
But one on one contact among the people remains essential, and railroads maintain regular training programs with their operating personnel.
Bureau of Labor statistics bear out the effectiveness of these programs, both in comparison to other major industries, and among the transportation industries.
Railroads also have regular, ongoing training schools and programs for operating personnel