 |
Re: A mental exercise on freight train efficiency
Author: Ernest H. Robl
Date: 02-19-2007 - 18:06
Another point to consider is that in most cases, trucking is more predictable.
Remember not all loads are suitable as trailers or intermodal containers that go from one terminal to another.
Boxcars, gondolas, and other types of cars involved in non-unit train "loose-car" railroading may end up having to be switched several times, going through two or more hump yards in major distances are involved.
Because that switching may take varying times, the car may show up at the consignee's siding (or nearby team track) a day earlier or a couple of days later than expected. This does not work well with just-in-time manufacturing.
On the other hand, if you tell a trucker that you want the load delivered at the recipient's loading dock between 9 and 10 am on a given day -- and assuming there is sufficient time to make the trip -- the truck driver can run to a nearby truck stop or simply park somewhere and show up within the appointed hour.
Years ago, when I worked for a company that was doing logistics managment software, what we heard over and over from potential customers was that getting there fastest was not the most important factor. Getting there within a predictable time window was.
It's not just JIT manufacturing. A recipient may have limited space on his rail siding or a limited number of loading dock positions. If too many loads show up at the same time, he may not have anywhere to put them or enough crews to unload them.
On the other hand, if you're shipping a load of lumber (or cement) to local distributor, assuming the distributor has some buffer inventory and adequate storage space, whether the car shows up a day earlier or later is not critical. Once the car is spotted, it can be unloaded at the recipient's convenience.
-- Ernest
Remember not all loads are suitable as trailers or intermodal containers that go from one terminal to another.
Boxcars, gondolas, and other types of cars involved in non-unit train "loose-car" railroading may end up having to be switched several times, going through two or more hump yards in major distances are involved.
Because that switching may take varying times, the car may show up at the consignee's siding (or nearby team track) a day earlier or a couple of days later than expected. This does not work well with just-in-time manufacturing.
On the other hand, if you tell a trucker that you want the load delivered at the recipient's loading dock between 9 and 10 am on a given day -- and assuming there is sufficient time to make the trip -- the truck driver can run to a nearby truck stop or simply park somewhere and show up within the appointed hour.
Years ago, when I worked for a company that was doing logistics managment software, what we heard over and over from potential customers was that getting there fastest was not the most important factor. Getting there within a predictable time window was.
It's not just JIT manufacturing. A recipient may have limited space on his rail siding or a limited number of loading dock positions. If too many loads show up at the same time, he may not have anywhere to put them or enough crews to unload them.
On the other hand, if you're shipping a load of lumber (or cement) to local distributor, assuming the distributor has some buffer inventory and adequate storage space, whether the car shows up a day earlier or later is not critical. Once the car is spotted, it can be unloaded at the recipient's convenience.
-- Ernest
