This paper describes a network programming/data management system developed for the study of coal transportation. At the heart of the system is a freight transportation model that considers the decisions of both the shippers (e.g., coal buyers) and the carriers (rail and barge operators). This model functions primarily in a predictive mode, selecting appropriate coal sources, transportation modes, and transportation routes that minimize the delivered price of coal to each coal user. Congestion at locks and on rail lines can be predicted because the model can also account for the movements of all other commodities on the rail and waterway system. The system framework is flexible in that it includes software and data bases that allow the user to easily define study regions of any size (sub-state to whole nation) and to specify different levels of transportation network detail within the study region. This allows for a completely detailed transportation network in the region of interest while modeling important movements into and out of the region on an aggregate network. This keeps the network programming problems to a reasonable size without sacrifice of detail where needed. The system was conceived as a management decision tool for the Office of Fuels Conversion, Economic Regulatory Administration, US Department of Energy. It has been used to study the cumulative transportation impacts of switching 42 powerplants in the northeastern United States from oil or natural gas to coal and in a similar study of switching 14 powerplants in Florida from oil to coal. 7 references, 11 figures, 2 tables. (ERA citation 09:005725)
Network Programming System for Studying Coal Transportation
1983
26 pages
Report
No indication
English
Multiple Coal Transportation Mode Network Optimizations
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