Operational and technological requirements for the profitable provision of rail freight transport

CITATION: Pienaar, W. J. 2017. Bedryfs- en tegnologiese vereistes vir die winsgewende lewering van spoorgoederevervoer. Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie, 36(1), a1482, doi:10.4102/satnt.v36i1.1482.The original publication is available at http://www.satnt.ac.zaIn hierdie oorsigartikel word verslag gedoen oor die vernaamste bedryfs- en tegnologiese vereistes waaraan kommersieel lewensvatbare spoorvervoerstelsels in ’n ekonomies ongereguleerde goederevervoermark moet voldoen. Die volgende aspekte word bespreek: (1) Die marksegmente wat oor die algemeen winsgewend deur spoorvervoer in nywerheidslande bedien word; (2) vergelykende koste van spoorvervoer en die bedryfsmetodes wat gebruik word om spoorvervoer kostevoordeliger te maak; en (3) die vernaamste tegnologiese vereistes waaraan kommersieel lewensvatbare spoorvervoerstelsels moet voldoen. Wat tegnologiese vereistes betref, word in besonder gelet op die volgende: (1) die soorte treine en doelgeboude spoortrokke wat gepaste marksegmente ten beste bedien; (2) die eienskappe van spoorvervoereindpunte wat doeltreffende spoorvervoerbedryf onderskraag; en (3) die hanteringstoerusting wat benodig word om die spoorbedryf te laat vlot. Die doelgeboude trokmodelle en die soort treine waarin die trokke saamgestel word om ten beste aan spoorvervoeroperateurs se besondere bedryfsbehoeftes te voldoen, asook die belangrikste faktore wat spoortrokke se ontwerp onderlê, word bespreek. Voorts word die eienskappe van die vernaamste soorte eindpunte waar goedertreine aandoen, bespreek. Laastens word die hanteringstoerusting beskryf waarmee die spektrum van karweibare goedere vinnig, veilig en teen laagste eenheidskoste in en uit trokke gelaai, of na ander vervoermodusse oorgelaai word.This article provides an overview of the most pertinent operational and design requirements of rail freight transport technology that could be instrumental in the profitable participation of rail transport in an economically deregulated freight transport market. The following three aspects are addressed: (1) The market segments that are serviced profitably by rail transport in industrial countries; (2) comparative cost of rail transport and the specific operational methods employed to make rail transport more cost advantageous; and (3) the most pertinent technological requirements set upon rail transport systems to operate commercially viably. Regarding technological requirements, the following aspects are elaborated upon: (1) train types and purpose-built wagons to appropriately serve specific market segments; (2) the type of freight terminals employed to effectively support rail transport operations; and (3) the types of handling equipment needed to enable rail transport to operate smoothly. The purpose-built wagon models and the types of train compositions to optimally adhere to rail transport operators’ specific needs, as well as the the most important factors that underlie wagon design, are discussed. Subsequently the functional requirements of the main terminal facilties that receive freight trains are discussed. Lastly, the handling equipment needed to load, unload and transload transportable freight on, from and between wagons and other modes of transport swiftly, safely and at lowest cost per freight unit are discussed.http://www.satnt.ac.za/index.php/satnt/article/view/1482Publisher's versio