Possibilities of Modal Shift

from Road to Rail

Werner Rothengatter
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Potential of Rail Freight Transport
in Europe by Distance
ALog
today future
Possibilities for shifting freight transport
from road to rail
1 Technology
2 Infrastructure
3 Logistical concepts
4 Public regulation and pricing policy
1 Technology
! Propulsion, energy recycling
! Rolling stock, adjustment of rail cars to
market needs, silent (composite) breaks
! Modern train control system
! Longer trains, double deck container trains
New locomotive generation
Pallet-flow rail car
2 Infrastructure
! Removal of bottlenecks
! Dedicated freight tracks on heavily used
relationships
! Electrification
! Transshipment technology
Cargo Beamer
Tech
3 Logistical concepts
! Networks of mult-modal freight centers
! Synchronized service, e.g. line-based concepts
! Block trains, pallet flow systems
! Integration of milk and main runs in a
collaborative network of agents (contract
logistics), main runs by rail
! Concentration on railway affine market segments
Pallet Flow
Line Trains
Example
Railport-model
Milk runs/Main runs Org
call-offs by shipper
4 Public regulation and pricing policy
! Regulation of road transport (driving/resting times,
qualification of drivers, night bans, bans for
transit in sensitive areas, limit values for air
pollution and noise)
! Internalization of external costs (pricing and other
instruments)
! Taxation systems rewarding low energy
consumption
! Obligatory insurance to cover full accident costs
! Privatization of rail freight companies
! Regulated free market access
! Competition (wide oligopoly for internationally
operating companies plus regional feeder service
companies)
! Public co-finance for infrastructure with PPPs
! Removal of physical and organizational barriers
international operations and strategic cooperations
Potential of Rail Freight Transport
in Europe by Distance
ALog
today future