Heavy Axle Study: Impact of Higher Rail Car Weight Limits on Short-Line Railroads. Volume 1: Final Report.

摘要

The current Class 1 railroad trend is beginning to require that short-line railroads accept heavy-axle cars beyond the previous standard 263,000-lb gross car weight. Given the nature of the short-line railroad infrastructure in Pennsylvania, these heavier cars are expected to be met by under-capacity of both track structures and bridge structures. The economics of short-line railroads are such that it is important that Class 1 railroads be able to meet this new demand; therefore, the present study has been undertaken to begin the statewide assessment of the short-line railroad ability to support heavier loads. In the economic interest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the PENNDOT Bureau of Rail Freight, Ports, and Waterways funded the present study to estimate the cost for a statewide upgrade of the short-line infrastructure to accommodate the 315,000-lb and 286,000-lb gross car weights. This project investigated the infrastructure of short-line railroads to safety support 315,000-lb and 286,000-lb gross car weights through a bridge statistical sampling scheme and a track survey. This report is published in two volumes, Volume I: Final Report, and Volume II: Appendices.