SEQUENTIAL ESTIMATION OF RAILROAD COSTS FOR SPECIFIC TRAFFIC

This study presents a model to predict the costs of moving specific railroad traffic. It addresses four types of hypothetical trains: a heavy unit train, a mixed freight with mixed cargo, an intermodal movement of 120 trailers moving 1,750 miles on articulated spine cars, and a 1,750-mile movement of double-stack containers on lightweight 5 platform cars. The study shows that, with minor changes, a general model of total railroad costs may be used to obtain estimates for specific trains, and that cost economies do accrue to larger railroads.