Railroad Forums 

  • Carload Freight -- Does it Have a Future?

  • For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.
For topics on Class I and II passenger and freight operations more general in nature and not specifically related to a specific railroad with its own forum.

Moderator: Jeff Smith

 #1429698  by ExCon90
 
It might depend on the density. How much weight would fill a 45- or 53-foot container to capacity?
Another factor, which would depend on individual circumstances, would be what sort of road network exists between the plant and the intermodal terminal. If it's mostly two-lane roads with lots of stop signs or traffic lights at intersections, the volume of traffic would raise some hackles among the neighbors.
 #1430409  by QB 52.32
 
The weight/cubic capacity ratio 50-foot boxcar-to-53-foot domestic container is approximately 1:2 for pulpboard and expanding this consideration to also include woodpulp moving from the South, approximately 1:2.5. With this relatively low competitive advantage for a carload commodity and a boxcar fleet handling this traffic advancing in average age, I would think equipment investment decisions coming down the road will be interesting, especially as domestic stack capacity out of the South grows. No doubt these coming equipment investment decisions will be the biggest driver as to what degree this traffic remains in the loose carload network.