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Railway Transportation

Efficient railway transportation helps ensure both population mobility and a functioning supply chain, but railway reliability is often threatened by inadequate capacity, aging infrastructure, increasing freight costs, and potential security threats. RAND researchers have explored and recommended different approaches to modernizing rail systems and keeping them safe.

Blog
A Look Back at the War in Afghanistan, National Secuirty Risks, Hospice Care: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on why the United States “stayed the unfavorable course” in Afghanistan, the Ohio train derailment, state data on gun deaths, and more.
Mar 3, 2023
Commentary
Ohio's Train Derailment—Not Spy Balloons—Is the Real National Security Threat
The slow degradation of infrastructure and disaster response is less a spectacle than an overflying balloon, but the train derailment and chemical spill in Ohio highlights just how bizarre such a focus on perceived external national security threats has become. The far greater threat may be from within.
Feb 20, 2023
Journal Article
Decarbonising UK Transport: Final Report and Technology Roadmaps
The report sets out a series of 7 technological roadmaps to reduce and remove direct emissions from the UK's domestic transport by 2050.
Jul 15, 2021
Report
Model of Travel in London Phase 3: Mode and destination choice model estimation
RAND Europe and partners were commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) to update and enhance their strategic transport model, the Model of Travel in London (MoTiON). This report documents RAND Europe's work on the mode-destination choice models.
Feb 26, 2021
Report
Model of Travel in London Phase 3: Frequency model estimation
RAND Europe and partners were commissioned by Transport for London (TfL) to update and enhance their strategic transport model, the Model of Travel in London (MoTiON). This report documents RAND Europe's work on the frequency models.
Feb 26, 2021
Journal Article
Addressing Impact Evaluation Gaps in Belt and Road Initiative Projects in Africa: The Standard Gauge Railway Project in Kenya as a Proof of Concept
Proposing new directions for evaluation framework development targeting the Belt and Road Initiative projects, using the Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya as a proof of concept of our proposed evaluation framework.
Oct 7, 2020
Research Brief
China Belt and Road Initiative: How revival of the silk road could impact world trade
By using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this study found improving transportation multimodal connectivity has a positive impact on multilateral trade across countries and regions along China Belt and Road Initiative.
Aug 21, 2018
Report
China Belt and Road Initiative: Measuring the impact of improving transportation connectivity on trade in the region
Using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this study found improving transportation multimodal connectivity has a positive impact on multilateral trade across countries and regions along China Belt and Road Initiative.
Aug 21, 2018
Report
Army Installation Rail Operations: Implications of Increased Outsourcing
In this report, we evaluate the three business models that the Army relies on for its on-post rail operations and determine whether greater reliance on commercial rail assets could meet Army rail needs at a lower cost.
Jan 8, 2018
Journal Article
Rail Demand Forecasting Estimation Study: Phase Reports
Review of the rail demand forecasting methods used by government, the study was completed in 2 phases.
Apr 27, 2017
Journal Article
Modelling Long-Distance Travel in Great Britain
Trips longer than 50 mi account for less than one-fortieth of all trips but nearly one-third of all distance traveled within Great Britain. Because of the small proportion of all travel that they form, long-distance trips may not be adequately represented in national databases and models.
Jan 1, 2013
Report
Comparison of the Long-Distance Model and PLANET Long-Distance: Phase 2, Demand Model
This report presents analysis that compares the PLANET long-distance model and the Department for Transport's long-distance model (LDM) and helps to inform which components of both models might be used to develop an improved HS2 Ltd model.
Dec 10, 2012
Commentary
No Data? Big Problem.
Good data can inform decision makers about what really works—how best to relieve congestion and improve supply-chain connectivity to make freight transportation—and hence the U.S. economy—more competitive, write Mortimer Downey, Joseph Schofer, and Johanna Zmud.
Mar 19, 2012
Brochure
Spotlight on 2011
With 2012 being our 20th anniversary year, the report features some of our recent work while reflecting on how RAND Europe has developed and remained relevant over the last two decades. It highlights selected research and corporate activity in 2011.
Jan 19, 2012
Report
Modelling Demand for Long Distance Passenger Travel in Great Britain
RAND Europe, in collaboration with URS/Scott Wilson, has developed models to predict demand for long-distance passenger travel in Great Britain to appraise the impact of new transport infrastructure and operation policies aimed at this market, such as high-speed rail, highway management, and policies directed towards domestic air travel. Stated preference surveys were conducted with rail, air and car travellers to enable better representation of high-speed rail in the models.
Jun 23, 2011
Report
The Arc: A Formal Structure for a Palestinian State
An examination of options and cost estimates for strengthening the housing and transportation infrastructure of a potential future independent Palestinian state in the context of a large and rapidly growing Palestinian population.
May 19, 2011
Journal Article
Using Ordered Attitudinal Indicators in a Latent Variable Choice Model: A Study of the Impact of Security on Rail Travel Behaviour
In this article, we present an application of jointly estimated attitudinal and choice models to a real-world transport study, looking at the role of latent attitudes in a rail travel context. Our results show the impact that concern with privacy, liberty and security, and distrust of business, technology and authority have on the desire for rail travel in the face of increased security measures, as well as for universal security checks.
Jan 1, 2011
Journal Article
Quantifying Individuals' Trade-Offs Between Privacy, Liberty and Security: The Case of Rail Travel in UK
This paper uses a stated choice experiment to quantify individuals' tradeoffs between privacy and security within a real-life context, namely rail travel in the UK.
Mar 31, 2010
News Release
U.S. Freight System Modernization Necessary to Reduce Bottlenecks, Improve Security
The long-term efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. freight transportation system is threatened by bottlenecks, inefficient use of some parts of the infrastructure components, vulnerability to disruptions, and crucial environmental and energy concerns.
Jun 9, 2009
Brochure
Policy Insight, Volume 2, Issue 5, December 2008: Getting America Back on Track: U.S. Public Policy on Railroads
Discusses whether and how policymakers should invest in expanding U.S. rail infrastructure to help accommodate projected increases in freight traffic.
Dec 8, 2008

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RAND Topic:
Railway Transportation

Topic Synonyms:
Railroads;
Railways

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