Study by SGKV Determines RailRunner® Bimodal Technology is Economical, Competitive and “Ready for the European Market”
WALTHAM, MA, August 31, 2010 – RailRunner has been designated as an effective technology for bi-modal transport by Studiengesellschaft für den Kombinierten Verkehr (SGKV) one of the foremost organizations studying intermodal transportation in Europe. The SGKV study is a comparative analysis of existing intermodal transport technologies with regard to their operational efficiencies, capital costs and environmental implications, as well as several other parameters.
The report compares the use of RailRunner technology with competing intermodal technologies in transporting 45-foot European containers, 40-foot ISO containers, 20-foot tank containers, swap bodies, semi-trailers and roll-on roll off systems. Using a hypothetical Hamburg-to-Budapest itinerary, The report says RailRunner identifies RailRunner NA, Inc., as having the best intermodal (road/rail) technology available based on multiple critical factors, including the following:
- Payload to tare ratio,
- Environmental impact, energy consumption and CO2 emissions
- Labor cost and operational costs per transported unit,
- Number of units per train,
- Ease of integration into existing intermodal systems,
- Terminal investment costs,
- Equipment costs, and
- Maintenance costs.
For example, the SGKV report estimates the effective ratio of payload to tare weight at 2:1 for RailRunner with a 45-foot container, while the rate for a standard T5 railcar is 1.1:1. The rate of CO2 emissions are 30% to 43% lower with the RailRunner technology according to SGKV. And the cost of installing a RailRunner terminal are 20% to 25% that of a traditional intermodal terminal, while the operating costs are 16% lower than trucking and 27% lower than a T5 train.
“Another remarkable advantage of the RailRunner system is that it easily can be integrated into existing intermodal transport systems,” the SGVK report says. “RailRunner can be fully comprised in existing terminals, thus enlarging the overall terminal capacity. The costs are relatively small.”
SGKV (http://www.sgkv.de), founded in 1928 and located in Berlin, Germany, is a well-known, non-profit research association that provides research and analytical evaluations as well as consulting services to companies and governmental units mainly involved in intermodal transportation in Europe. It receives financial support from the German government, as well as from member companies belonging to the organization and associated to intermodal transportation. This study was commissioned by RailRunner, because of increasing interest by logistic and intermodal companies in its new technology, and based upon the request of several German and European approval authorities who required independent reviews of RailRunner technology by respected European institutions.
About RailRunner
RailRunner (www.railrunner.com) is an innovative rail products and services company bringing a new Road-Ready intermodal rail product to shippers worldwide. RailRunner’s worldwide patented container-carrying bi-modal system is designed to quickly; simply and efficiently shift chassis and container to and from highway to rail and back. With RailRunner’s low-investment Terminal Anywhere™ technology, no flatcars, pocket or well cars, huge cranes, high-value lift equipment or expensive terminal infrastructure are involved. Road-Ready trailers or chassis extend trucking or container services to markets and locations not previously reachable, improving shipping efficiency, lowering fuel cost, and reducing traffic congestion and air pollution, thus supporting environmental goals of transferring freight transport from road to more environmental-friendly rail. The company is privately held and based in Waltham, MA.
For further RailRunner press information contact:
Mark Metzger
Metzger Communications
+1-781-254-4186
mmetzger@metzgerco.com