AASM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
ANSWERS 2025.
27 -rail freight revenue/ ton declines __% (inflation adjusted) from 1992-2001
-coal and grain rates decline
piggyback service -increase in intermodal traffic
-trailer is taken off truck or ship and hauling it on rail
-directed to nonbulk, manufactured products
-up 300% from 1980-2001
intermodal train rr created dedicated ___ w/ regularly scheduled departures and priority
operating schedules to improve on time delivery
advantages to intermodal -lower cost than truck & more reliable than the average train
-lower transit times
-more accessible to people
-combining cost efficiency of railroad long haul w/flexibility of truck and delivery service
trailer of a flat car (TOFC) the wheels can be seen and just set the car on the track and can
take off to be put back on to truck to continue journey
container on a flat car doesn't have wheels and the container comes from ships that can then be
set on trucks
types of railroads Class I:
-Amtrak
-BNSF
-Canadian National
-Canadian Pacific
-CSX
-Kansas City Southern
-Norfolk Southern
classification of carriers -Class I
-Regional
-Local
-Switching & Terminal
regional carrier linehaul of @ least 350 miles of revenue of b/w $40 mil and the class I
threshold
local carrier less than 350 miles and revenue less than $40 mil per year
intramodal train -b/w the railroads
-if not in the same location, competition is not super intense but not easy to enter the industry bc
youll have to buy a lot of car and terminals which could be expensive
,intermodal railroad -between the modes; from rr to truck or from rr to ship
- competition depends on where you are going in the U.S. and is going to be a little more
intense bc you can take off truck and pick the rail road you want to put it on
-rr are offering a good service to customers bc cheaper per mile than some other modes; so
able to haul things over long distance and save money
60 there has been a __% decrease in train accidents from 1980-2001
fastest intermodal has been the ___ growing major segment of the U.S. railway for many years
principle commodities -merch. carried on rail
-large quantities of low value to weight (bulk)
types:
-coal
-farm products
-chemicals
-transportation equipment (not a bulk commodity)
traffic shifts growth of intermodal freight traffic
fixed rights-of-way rr constraint:
this is the shipper or reciever doesnt own sidings so another mode of transportation is required
to complete that shipment
-dont have a way to stop or unload shipments someone else has to come in there and get it
service limitations rr constraint:
-shipments across country may require many different railroads to get it there
rr strengths -large carrying capacity, few size or weight constraints
-handle almost any type of cargo
-assumption of liability for damage
-intermodal services and other new technologies
-a public benefit from rail: reduced road congestion and road damage
-fuel efficient
increase car size carloadings are declining because of their:
carload basic unit of measure for rr equipment
-declining due to increasing average car size improving carload productivity
-avg. in 2001: 93 tons
-now: 100 tons, 110 tons(if made of aluminum) or 85 tons (reefers)
rolling stock rrs own and maintain most ___ ___
-non railroad companies own 37% & growing
tank car type of railcar:
specialized car for transport of liquid and gases
gravity discharge hopper car type of railcar:
car w/ floor sloping one way or another and use hinge doors to discharge bulk materials
flat car type of railcar:
car w/ no top or sides; used to haul equipment or intermodal freight
covered hopper car type of railcar:
, roof designed to transport bulk commodities that are needed for production of the elements
-most utilized
hopper car type of railcar:
floor sloping with one or more hinge doors; used to carry coal
box car type of railcar:
plain one is standardized roof freight car w/sliding doors on sides
-a specialized one is made for specialized merch like autoparts
gondola freight car w/ no top, flat bottom, and fixed size used to haul bulk commodities
double stack container used by major motor carriers
-rr service innovation
-good for international trade
-known as a piggyback service
unit train -rr service innovation
-specialized, one commodity train
-direct origin to destination movement
-priority service schedules
high, short run __ % of indirect fixed costs in ___ ___ (capacity remains fixed)
30 ___% of costs do not vary w/ volume
-rr own and maintain own networks/terminals
and operate own rolling costs so this is why
long lived rr have high % of __ ___ (durable) assets
-rrs own and maintain networks (rights-of-way) and terminals (freight yards)
-geographically fixed, reduces responsiveness to demand; if located in one area cant just pick
up and leave
40 semivariable costs are ___% of total cost
-includes maintenance of rights of way, structure equipment
-deferred during financial difficulties; ex. not making that much $ this year so will fix those
maintence issues of those rights of way
33 rr labor costs are __% of each revenue dollar
-unionized workforce,14 craft unions; create rules and challenging issues
-biggest variable cost
-in process of reducing labor/personnel to reduce cost
fuel -rr variable cost
-locomotives increasingly productive and efficient thus reducing these expenditures
alcohol and drug abuse current rr issue:
-effects work environment
-stems from long hours, low supervision at nights, loniliness, and boredom
-can self report and get help w/ no judgement
energy efficient current rr issue:
ANSWERS 2025.
27 -rail freight revenue/ ton declines __% (inflation adjusted) from 1992-2001
-coal and grain rates decline
piggyback service -increase in intermodal traffic
-trailer is taken off truck or ship and hauling it on rail
-directed to nonbulk, manufactured products
-up 300% from 1980-2001
intermodal train rr created dedicated ___ w/ regularly scheduled departures and priority
operating schedules to improve on time delivery
advantages to intermodal -lower cost than truck & more reliable than the average train
-lower transit times
-more accessible to people
-combining cost efficiency of railroad long haul w/flexibility of truck and delivery service
trailer of a flat car (TOFC) the wheels can be seen and just set the car on the track and can
take off to be put back on to truck to continue journey
container on a flat car doesn't have wheels and the container comes from ships that can then be
set on trucks
types of railroads Class I:
-Amtrak
-BNSF
-Canadian National
-Canadian Pacific
-CSX
-Kansas City Southern
-Norfolk Southern
classification of carriers -Class I
-Regional
-Local
-Switching & Terminal
regional carrier linehaul of @ least 350 miles of revenue of b/w $40 mil and the class I
threshold
local carrier less than 350 miles and revenue less than $40 mil per year
intramodal train -b/w the railroads
-if not in the same location, competition is not super intense but not easy to enter the industry bc
youll have to buy a lot of car and terminals which could be expensive
,intermodal railroad -between the modes; from rr to truck or from rr to ship
- competition depends on where you are going in the U.S. and is going to be a little more
intense bc you can take off truck and pick the rail road you want to put it on
-rr are offering a good service to customers bc cheaper per mile than some other modes; so
able to haul things over long distance and save money
60 there has been a __% decrease in train accidents from 1980-2001
fastest intermodal has been the ___ growing major segment of the U.S. railway for many years
principle commodities -merch. carried on rail
-large quantities of low value to weight (bulk)
types:
-coal
-farm products
-chemicals
-transportation equipment (not a bulk commodity)
traffic shifts growth of intermodal freight traffic
fixed rights-of-way rr constraint:
this is the shipper or reciever doesnt own sidings so another mode of transportation is required
to complete that shipment
-dont have a way to stop or unload shipments someone else has to come in there and get it
service limitations rr constraint:
-shipments across country may require many different railroads to get it there
rr strengths -large carrying capacity, few size or weight constraints
-handle almost any type of cargo
-assumption of liability for damage
-intermodal services and other new technologies
-a public benefit from rail: reduced road congestion and road damage
-fuel efficient
increase car size carloadings are declining because of their:
carload basic unit of measure for rr equipment
-declining due to increasing average car size improving carload productivity
-avg. in 2001: 93 tons
-now: 100 tons, 110 tons(if made of aluminum) or 85 tons (reefers)
rolling stock rrs own and maintain most ___ ___
-non railroad companies own 37% & growing
tank car type of railcar:
specialized car for transport of liquid and gases
gravity discharge hopper car type of railcar:
car w/ floor sloping one way or another and use hinge doors to discharge bulk materials
flat car type of railcar:
car w/ no top or sides; used to haul equipment or intermodal freight
covered hopper car type of railcar:
, roof designed to transport bulk commodities that are needed for production of the elements
-most utilized
hopper car type of railcar:
floor sloping with one or more hinge doors; used to carry coal
box car type of railcar:
plain one is standardized roof freight car w/sliding doors on sides
-a specialized one is made for specialized merch like autoparts
gondola freight car w/ no top, flat bottom, and fixed size used to haul bulk commodities
double stack container used by major motor carriers
-rr service innovation
-good for international trade
-known as a piggyback service
unit train -rr service innovation
-specialized, one commodity train
-direct origin to destination movement
-priority service schedules
high, short run __ % of indirect fixed costs in ___ ___ (capacity remains fixed)
30 ___% of costs do not vary w/ volume
-rr own and maintain own networks/terminals
and operate own rolling costs so this is why
long lived rr have high % of __ ___ (durable) assets
-rrs own and maintain networks (rights-of-way) and terminals (freight yards)
-geographically fixed, reduces responsiveness to demand; if located in one area cant just pick
up and leave
40 semivariable costs are ___% of total cost
-includes maintenance of rights of way, structure equipment
-deferred during financial difficulties; ex. not making that much $ this year so will fix those
maintence issues of those rights of way
33 rr labor costs are __% of each revenue dollar
-unionized workforce,14 craft unions; create rules and challenging issues
-biggest variable cost
-in process of reducing labor/personnel to reduce cost
fuel -rr variable cost
-locomotives increasingly productive and efficient thus reducing these expenditures
alcohol and drug abuse current rr issue:
-effects work environment
-stems from long hours, low supervision at nights, loniliness, and boredom
-can self report and get help w/ no judgement
energy efficient current rr issue:
