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4rail.net - Articles - Unit trains | |
The need of unit trains  More and more unit trains have appeared on the railroads within last 40 years chancing the way logistics is organized. Earlier it was possible to handle even single crates within wagonloads, wagons were handled on several points, taken from the train, switched to sidings and coupled to another train; time consuming and very expensive. The competition has gotten tougher, as has the management. The accounting can calculate the costs realistically in real time. The target, ,survival in competition, is clear with all logistics operators, trains in competition with trucks, ships and more or less even with planes. So everyone is trying to concentrate with strengths and cut the weaknesses. Studying the competition and doing successfull changes continuously is obligatory these days. Only the strongest survive. The competition started from the U.S. in the early days of railroad history. Now this competition is getting fierce even in the E.U. which has ruled on opening of the common market within the countries if the union for railroads as well. Although much of the competition is good for the customer, the service providers have entered a whole new era of moving trains. The tougher competition means some of the following: Railroad operators: - The trains are longer and run further - There are less interchange points, less cars are humped on the way - Unit trains are more and more frequent - More rolling stock is meant for generic use and is modular - The times to reach the destinations are drastically reduceded (to enhance the usage rates) Infrasturucture improvements: - The routes are equipped with heavier rail, conrete ties and standardized train control systems - Sidings are longer to allow using more economical longer trains - the tracks are set enough apart to enable working in one track while the aothers are in use. - on the main exchange points the need for rail capacity has increased dramatically (see the Paris northern railyards congestion!) - Doudling/tripling/quadrupling the freight rail lines allows for remarkable capacity increases Companies: - Networking with other companies is wise from the economical and strategic view point - Using networks common services is more frequent - Leasing each others rolling stock helps to handle better the highs and lows  |
 BNSF
Railway ES44DC nr 7530, C44-9W's 4020, 5048 and 5121 at the point of
the unit trains for grain, Seattle 11/2007 |
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| Unit
trains A typical unit train in U.S. or europe might carry coal, grain, concrete and minerals, stones, containers, wood, wood chips, etc. The unit trains resembles more or less a ship, but this ship runs on an "iron channel". The unit trains run typically from point to point, between source of raw materials and the factory, harbor or other exchange point. Every handling adds to the cost of the material transported, so the idea is to avoid extra moves for the load where possible. With competition unit trains are very strong against other means of competition. In the U.S. ethanol transportation the Trains Magazine reports, that Union Pacific Railroad only wishes to carry ethanol on unit trains, not to collect locally chains of 10-15 cars. The local switching to larger units is made by local much smaller railroad companies. So, it's obvious we will see more and more unit trains and less single carloads in the near future. |
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 Main text by John McKey 2.9.2007 / 4.11.2007. Updates: Key data sources: |
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