Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The Economics of Heavy Hopper Cars
  • Problem for Light-Density Branch Lines
• Review of Literature
  • Part 1 The Impact of Heavy Cars on Track Structures
    • Findings of the AAR Panel on 100-ton cars
    • Findings of the Ahlf Study of 100-Ton Cars
    • AAR Studies of HAL Forces and Track Dynamics
  • Part 2 Current Infrastructure Needs and Costs
    • Findings of Iowa Department of Transportation
    • Findings of Grain Short line Railroad Study
    • Findings of American Short line and Regional Railroad Association Study
  • Impact of HAL on Track Components
  • HAL Simulation Methodology
    • Light-Rail Simulations
    • Heavier Rail Simulations
    • Inferences of Simulations
  • Costs of Rehabilitating Rail Track
    • Theoretical Model of the Railroad's Upgrading Decision
    • Useful Life of the Upgrade
    • Incremental Traffic
    • Incremental Revenues and Costs
    • Service Improvements Generating Incremental Revenue
  • Numerical Illustration of the Upgrading Decision
    • Short line Internal Rate of Return
    • Class I Internal Rate of Return
  • Impacts of the Upgrading Decision on North Dakota Communities
• Summary and Conclusions
• References

North Dakota Strategic Freight Analysis
Item IV. Heavier Loading Rail Cars

Prepared by
John D. Bitzan
Denver D. Tolliver

Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota

October 2001

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