Leslie E Olson

Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public

Data from 2001 to 2009 were used to update the 2009 modal comparison study conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute, which used data from 2001 to 2005. The objective was to develop performance measures of rates per ton-mile to facilitate multimodal comparisons between inland towing, rail, and truck in six topical areas: cargo capacity, traffic congestion, energy efficiency, air quality, safety, and infrastructure. The study focused on several vital issues from a snapshot in time. Credible publicly available and independently verifiable data from federal, industry, and academic sources were used. The scope of the study and several data limitations necessitated the use of assumptions that were based on sound engineering principles, as well as development of innovative methods, to arrive at plausible results and fulfill the studys unconventional objectives. The study results showed that waterborne transportation continued to compare favorably with rail and highway modes for the examined performance measures. Any waterborne freight diversion to either of the two modes likely would result in serious negative effects on freight transportation operations and in possible system breakdowns. Chain reaction effects would jeopardize the well-being of the general public and the national economy.

Development and Pilot Testing of Crew Resource Management Training Program for Railroad Industry

Between 2001 and 2005, a research team at the Texas Transportation Institute worked with FRA and the BNSF Railway (formerly the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway) to develop a training course in improved crew resource management (CRM) for use in the U.S. rail industry. Initial tasks included site visits to a cross section of railroad types in various U.S. locations, identification of railroad team makeup and tasks, and classification of railroad teams. Subsequent tasks included the design and pilot implementation of a CRM training course at various locations on the BNSF Railway. The course was designed to be used for training a variety of railroad crafts in technical proficiency, situational awareness, communications, teamwork, and assertiveness. There were 186 railroad workers trained during the pilot testing program, with positive employee response to the course materials and content.

Transportation Rate Analysis: Gulf Intracoastal Waterway–East, Arkansas River, and Red River in the United States

This research effort developed transportation rates (

Integrating MTS Commerce Data with Multimodal Freight Transportation Performance Measures to Support MTS Maintenance Investment Decision Making

/net ton) from origin to destination—including transfer and handling fees—for a non–statistically significant sample of 200 waterborne movements and their alternative least-cost all-overland routings (i.e., rail, truck, or both). The sample consisted of originating, terminating, internal, and through movements on three waterways: Gulf Intracoastal Waterway–East (100 movements), Arkansas River (50 movements), and Red River (50 movements) in the United States. Water line-haul rates obtained from two major barge operators and handling rates obtained from terminal operators were compared with the corresponding rates obtained from the barge costing model (BCM). It was found that the BCM underestimated waterborne charges and that its definitions of cost components were inconsistent with real-world barge operations. Terminal operators interviewed were not aware of any—or could not identify any—specific off-river origins or destinations, so none was associated with any of the movements. Line-haul rail rates were obtained from the Surface Transportation Boards Carload Waybill Samples 2009 and 2010 and Uniform Railroad Costing System. Truck rates were obtained from national and interstate motor carriers. In most cases (171 of 200 movements) the least-cost, most practical land-only line-haul alternative to barge was found to be rail. Overall, this research concluded that barge shipment was the least-cost transportation alternative for every commodity group on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway–East and Red River and for the majority of commodity groups on the Arkansas River, with annual savings of

Marine Highway Transport of Toxic Inhalation Hazard Materials

2.85 billion. Additional field data collection efforts based on larger, statistically significant samples are needed to implement improvements in the BCM.

Fiber optic rail monitoring apparatus and method

This report investigates the feasibility of evaluating potential navigation operation and maintenance projects on the Marine Transportation System (MTS) not only as they relate to waterborne commerce, but also in light of the landside freight connections as well. A network optimization model is described that maximizes the multimodal system capacity by choosing the navigation maintenance projects that will either fully accommodate expected demand or provide the greatest potential throughput within overall budget constraints, taking into account the origins and destinations of the commodities that move through a regional multimodal network. Five ports are selected for analysis: Duluth, Minnesota; Hampton Roads, Virginia; Huntington, West Virginia; Plaquemines, Louisiana; and Portland, Oregon.

AN ANALYSIS OF LOW-COST ACTIVE WARNING DEVICES FOR HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS

This paper presents highlights of research conducted under Phase 2 of the Transportation Research Boards National Cooperative Freight Research Program 17 and reported in North American Marine Highways. The possibility of transporting greater volumes of chlorine and anhydrous ammonia via the marine highway system was investigated. Currently, there is no coast-to-coast (and only limited inland waterway) activity related to transportation of either chemical. The researchers identified major obstacles to development and expansion and corresponding potential courses of action. Geographical dispersion of producers and consumers works against greater waterborne volumes. Chlorine and anhydrous ammonia are characterized by mature, low-growth markets. Expansion of marine services will require significant capital costs and time to set up new terminals. There is great concern over the current condition of the system of locks and dams. Marine carriers face the same economic ramifications from risk of catastrophic accidents as rail carriers, necessitating the establishment of a new risk paradigm. The federal government could provide initial funds and expedite the permit process to allow new marine highway ventures to develop more rapidly and could also identify and assist potential new import points for both chemicals into the United States. Finally, the federal government must indicate its commitment to maintain the current inland waterway system. However, with no measures that can overcome the geographical dispersion of producers and users, the lack of density in any given corridor, and the already mature markets, significant expansion of the transport of toxic inhalation hazard materials via marine highways is not anticipated.