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National University Rail Transportation Center : Tier 1 : final report.
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2016-10-17
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[PDF-3.05 MB]
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Alternative Title:National University Rail Transportation Center : Tier 1
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Abstract:This project was a collaborative effort between Michigan Tech’s Rail Transportation Program (RTP), a member of the National University Rail Center (NURail) and the Michigan Dept of Transportation (MDOT), Office of Rail to advance rail transportation related activities in the State of Michigan. Three major activities that were conducted under the grant included:
1. Life Cycle (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost (LCCA) Analysis of Freight Transportation Alternatives to Copperwood Mine Project – This activity concentrated on conducting Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a freight transportation project and investigating the integration of outcomes into economic analysis. Planned Copperwood Mine was used as a case study for the analysis. The project found that there were significant differences between emission levels from different transportation alternatives. The multimodal (truck/rail) option offered the lowest total emissions for both ore and concentrate movements. The study also found that conducting a detailed LCA is fairly resource intensive process and as such may be challenging to conduct by MDOT as part of the preferred alternative selection. from economical perspective, it is possible to convert LCA results into LCC analysis, but proper unit values must be determined. The supplementary analysis conducted on State of Michigan support mechanisms for highway/rail projects related to economic development found that the current MDOT programs provide support for both road and rail improvements, based on specific criteria provided by the legislature. However, these programs are modally separated, so it could be questioned whether a structure that disregarded the modal boundaries would be preferable to meet the MDOT mission.
2. Lake State Railway Company Saginaw Yard Improvements – This project involved 32 senior level civil and environmental engineering students in the planning and design of improvements to the Lake State Railway Company (LSRC) Saginaw railyard. The student project provided a “first look” at alternatives for improving the track layout, creating an enclosed wash facility, and improving the drainage across the site.
3. Michigan Rail Transportation Conference – This tasks continued the development of Michigan Rail Conference, founded in 2013 by the Michigan Tech and MDOT. The 2015-2016 conferences brought together over 300 participants and almost 60 speakers to discuss the rail development in the State of Michigan and nationwide.
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