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Why do railroads run intermodal so fast?
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Try it this way: <br /> <br />The new containerships carry 4,000 FEU's. The typical double stack carries 250 FEU's. That's 16 trainsets per ship. Now calculate how many ships call at your port of choice. Say it's 500 per year on average. To serve those 500 ships at 4,000 FEU's per ship takes 8000 trainsets per year. So now you ask yourself how many trainsets do I want to buy to meet that 8000 trainset demand. If my trainsets can make the turn-around in 10 days or so, I can make do with about 36 trips per trainset per year. That's a little over 9,000 containers per trainset per year, so I would need to invest in about 218 trainsets. If however my turn-around time is 15 days per trainset, I get only 24 trips per trainset per year or a little over 6,000 containers per trainset per year, so then I would need to invest in about 333 trainsets, e.g. my equipment costs just went up 50% because my double stacks move 20 mph slower than they are able. <br /> <br />You still want to know why intermodal moves at the fastest allowable freight speed? <br /> <br />Time is money.
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