Research Reports |
Title: | American Short Line Railroad Database: Project Report and 1993 Data Analysis |
Authors: | Denver Tolliver, Douglas Benson, Brian Lindamood, and Ravi Korlimarla |
University: | North Dakota State University |
Publication Date: | Feb 1995 |
Report #: | MPC-95-42 |
Project #: | MPC-024 |
TRID #: | 00714579 |
Keywords: | data analysis, databases, data collection, design, development, feasibility analysis, mathematical analysis, short line railroads, testing |
Type: | Research Report – MPC Publications |
Since 1980, over 200 new local or regional railroads have been established in the United States, mostly through the sale of light-density lines by Class I carriers. With these new additions, this sector of the railroad industry now numbers over 400 strong. Collectively, these firms operate over 40,000 miles of railroad, providing rail service to many small communities and rural areas. In spite of the growing importance of this sector of the railroad industry, little information exists regarding its contributions and operational characteristics. There are no standard data collection and reporting systems for Class II and Class III railroads, such as those that exist for Class I carriers. This project is a completed three-year study of American short line railroad data systems. It consisted of three phases: (1) a feasibility study; (2) initial database design, development, and testing; and (3) 1993 data collection and analysis.
The following reports are listed by publication date in reverse chronological order.