Railroad energy study: summary of industry status and future. Volume I. Freight railroading

An examination is made of the railroad industry's structure and facilities and a Long-Run Average Cost and Energy Model is developed to describe the impact of changes to operations or equipment on the cost of railroad transportation. The regulatory and tariff environment of the industry is examined and some energy impacts of rate structures, car utilization rules, and retention of light-density branch lines are analyzed. Efficiency improvements that might result in conservation of fuel by railroads are identified and the outlook for the railroad industry, the opportunities and constraints for marketing technological innovation and operational changes in the industry, the outlook for growth in railroad transportation, and the relationship between potential efficiency improvements and market constraints are examined.