Citation

Babcock M, Bunch J, Sanderson J, Witt J. J. Transp. Res. Forum 2003; 57(4): 105-121.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Transportation Research Forum)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The long-term viability of short line railroads is being threatened since grain is increasingly being shipped via truck rather than rail. This paper measures how the abandonment of short line railroads in Kansas would affect state highway damage costs. Using geographic information system software and a previously proposed truck routing algorithm, a network model was developed to route wheat through the logistics system to achieve minimum transportation costs. This analysis was performed with and without short line railroads in the wheat logistics system. The network model reveals how many wheat carloadings occur at each station on each of the short lines in the study area. Abandonment is assumed, and the short line carloadings at each station are converted to truckloads at a ratio of one carload equaling four truckloads. A pavement model is used to calculate the additional damage costs for state roads attributable to the increased grain trucking following simulated short line abandonment. Results showed that the total annual road damage costs resulting from simulated abandonment was $57.8 million. The average road damage cost per truck mile for the study area was $7.15, and the average road damage cost per rail mile abandoned was $32,811. Incremental state fuel tax revenue generated by simulated abandonment was only 0.5% of annual road damage cost. These findings suggest that short line externalities can be substantial, and that state and federal financial assistance to short line railroads would be an efficient use of resources.