Title: Development and use of a model for the investigation of energy and emission aspects on the Athens-Thessaloniki rail intermodal freight transport

Authors: Eleni Tournaki; Athanasios Ballis

Addresses: National Technical University of Athens, 5 Iroon Polytechniou St., Zografou Campus, 15773, Athens ' National Technical University of Athens, 5 Iroon Polytechniou St., Zografou Campus, 15773, Athens

Abstract: Environmental protection is an issue that rises in importance in the agenda of the priorities in transportation sector. Railways are perceived to contribute positively towards such a direction. The current work focuses on the actual parameters that affect energy and emissions in rail freight transport. These parameters were investigated using a model. Input variables include technical and operational characteristics of the railway track, the rolling stock and the loading units as well as the restrictions of the wagons' loading process, which prevent railways to operate at full capacity. The model was validated on the main Greek railway corridor connecting Athens to Thessaloniki. The analysis revealed and quantified the impacts affecting energy and emissions: train load factor, train speed, gradient profile of railway track, rolling stock types, payload of transported loading units, rules of efficient wagon loading, fuel type and emission factor for electricity generation in the specific country. Comparisons with pure road transport and sensitivity analysis were also carried out on the Athens-Thessaloniki case study.

Keywords: rail transport; environmentally friendly modes; energy; air pollution; carbon footprint; modelling; vehicle emissions; intermodal transport; freight transport; environmental protection; railways; railway track; rolling stock; loading units; wagon loading; train speed; gradient profile; fuel type; electricity generation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJDSS.2016.081764

International Journal of Decision Support Systems, 2016 Vol.2 No.1/2/3, pp.135 - 150

Received: 05 Nov 2015
Accepted: 01 Aug 2016
Published online: 24 Jan 2017 *

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