Objectives, Summary, and Further

Information on Containers on a Train

Containers on a Train
Lecture objectives
1. What is intermodal?
2. Why use different modes together?
3. What makes it work?

Lecture Summary
What is intermodal?
Most products have the ability to trade time versus cost. As a basic rule - if the cargo comes in full
containers then it is a good candidate for intermodal. The key to intermodal is the use of containers
and its seamless transfer from one mode to another. Think about it this way – if we can easily move
freight from one truck to another then we can simply substitute another mode of transportation that is
more efficient on that part of the lane - the cargo in the container stays untouched.

Advantages:

 On long distances rail transportation has a significant advantage over truck in terms of fuel
efficiency – which translates into a large cost advantage.
 On long distances (over 500 miles) rail is not much slower than truck
 Accessibility: by combining the advantages of rail and truck, the freight can reach any spot a
regular truck could reach