the biofuels boom and its impact on highway and rail safety
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
The Biofuels Boom and its Impacton Highway and Rail Safety
David A. Christianson, AssociateSRF Consulting Group, Inc.
2007 Eastern Region Rail Crossing Safety ConferenceAlbany, NY
October 3, 2007
![Page 2: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
A Case Study in Minnesota:Freight Transportation in District 7
•Mn/DOT District 7; 13 SouthwesternCounties
•Minnesota’s Corn Belt –Representative ofthe Central Midwest
•Steady and Significant Growth•Responsive Management & Productivity•Technology: Genetics, Communications•Central to Established Economy &
Renewable Energy Initiatives
![Page 3: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Context of Study
![Page 4: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
D-7 Key Commodities –In Order ofImportance (2005)
•Corn Production 358M Bushels (1/3 ofMn.)
•Soybeans 72M Bushels (1/3 of Mn.)•Hogs –5 million head (1/2 of Mn.)•Ethanol –186 million Gallons (1/2 of Mn.)
(Minnesota third largest producing state)•Non-Metallic Minerals –Silica, Kaolin
Clay, Aggregate•Manufactured Goods
![Page 5: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Major Trends Impacting Freight
•Ethanol Expansion & Economics•International Markets –Corn, Soy, DDGS•Ongoing Growth in Agricultural
Production; Responsiveness to Demand•Grain Shuttle Trains & Elevators•Inland Waterways Price & Capacity•Oil & Natural Gas Supplies and Prices•Cellulosic Ethanol•Intermodalism
![Page 6: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Growth in Freight Traffic
Westregion+65%
Southregion+71%
Centralregion+71%
Northeastregion+58%
U.S. domestic freight tonnage growthforecast, 2000-2020U.S. domestic freight tonnage growthforecast, 2000-2020
Truck Rail Water Air Total
20202020
20002000
% change2000-2020% change2000-2020 62%62% 44%44% 39%39% 181%181% 57%57%
10,70010,700
17,29617,296
2,0092,009
2,8912,891
1,0541,054
1,4701,470
13,77213,772
21,68221,682
992525
Source: USDOT
![Page 7: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Intermodal Containers-Access Issues
![Page 8: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Corn Yield Bushel per Acre
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Co
rn(B
u)
Sibley
CottonwoodJackson
Nobles
RockBlue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Le SueurMartin
Nicollet
WasecaWatonwan
![Page 9: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Soybean Yield Per Acre
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
So
ybea
nB
u/a
Sibley
Cottonwood
Jackson
Nobles
Rock
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Le Sueur
Martin
Nicollet
Waseca
Watonwan
![Page 10: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Hogs
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Ho
gs
(#)
Sibley
Cottonwood
Jackson
Nobles
Rock
Blue Earth
Brown
Faribault
Le Sueur
Martin
Nicollet
Waseca
Watonwan
![Page 11: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Agricultural Equipment-Size & Weight
![Page 12: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Vehicle and Shipment Sizes
•Grain Shuttle Trains•Ethanol Unit Trains•Railcar Size & Weight; 263K>286K>315K•Truck Size & Weight; 80K>89K, axle loads•Farm Equipment: Mega-combines, 5-axle
Semis common (65% of farm delivery)•Infrastructure Limits: Bridges, Local roads,
Rail branches & sidings•Barge Tows: Upper Mississippi Structures
![Page 13: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Bio-Fuels Growth
![Page 14: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
National Distribution of Plants
![Page 15: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Corn Ethanol Plants
![Page 16: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Ethanol Plant ExpansionVs. Corn Consumption
33%3802007
25%2522006
19%1862005
(Million Gals./Year)
% OF D-7CROP YIELD
PLANTCAPACITY
YEAR
![Page 17: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Ethanol Plant Characteristics
•Produces 40 million gallons/year of ethanol•Produces 125 thousand tons/year of DDGS•Consumes 15 million bushels of corn•Collects grain from 30 mile radius•50-70 heavy commercial trucks per day•4-7 loaded railcars per day•10 days storage for corn on average•Next generation plant –100 million
gallons/year
![Page 18: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Ethanol Freight Flows
![Page 19: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Agricultural Logistics-Then & Now
![Page 20: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Concentration of Freight Traffic
5-105-1025-50125100MG/Year
2-42-410-205040MG/Year
HoppersOut/Day
TankcarsOut/Day
TrucksOut/Day
TrucksIn/Day
PlantSize
![Page 21: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Economic & Market Effects
$1.78/Bu., 2000)(Market Low of7.013.9620076.252.3820065.532.2720056.952.5320045.342.4220034.442.2920025.232.4420014.832.222000
SOYBEANSCORNYEAR(Planting Price)
![Page 22: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Agricultural Response To EthanolGrowth; Transportation Impacts
•Corn-on-Corn Crop Rotation: up to 55%growth in production over next 5 years
•Genetics & Management: 15-35% growthin yield over next 5 years
•Projected Heavy Commercial Truck Tripsgrow 155-230% by 2030
•Farm-to-Market grain delivery grows from80 to 160 Semis per square mile annually
•Cellulosic Ethanol Feedstocks couldincrease tonnage 2-5X ( >five years)
![Page 23: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Agricultural Growth & Trucking
![Page 24: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Safety Issues
•TRAFFIC-Potential doubling of heavytrucks, 30-60% growth in rail carloadings
•GRADE CROSSINGS-Increase in 5-axle80,000 lbs. trucks, non-professional drivers(farmers), increase in train volumes,rural/unimproved crossings
•HAZARDOUS MATERIAL-Ethanol asClass 3 Flammable Liquid
![Page 25: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Grade Crossing Safety
![Page 26: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Ethanol Characteristics•HazMat USDOT Class 3 Flammable Liquid (UN
1170)•Stable at normal temperatures and pressures•Relatively inert-chemically benign•Low toxicity-requires significant internal ingestion•Non-carcinogenic•Bio-degrades in sunlight, hydrolyzes in water•Non-pollutant in water, except for denaturing
component•Burns at low temperature
![Page 27: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Case Study-Fallston, PA; BeaverValley Derailment
![Page 28: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Minimizing Risk in Transport
•Professional, certified tank truck drivers•Operation Lifesaver and FMCSA programs•Rail transport for volumes, distance (safety
record excellent)•Rail & Roadbed condition & inspection•Infrastructure investment-Roads, Rail,
Bridges, Crossings•Enforcement
![Page 29: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Opportunities - & Challenges
•Preserve Rail Capacity(Minnesota Prairie Line)
•Efficient Trucking(Farm-own, 5-axle Semis)
•Safety & Security(Rail Transport - Ethanol)
•Intermodal Growth•Accident Reduction•Energy Efficiency
•Private Infrastructure(Public road, Waterways)
•Local Road Condition(1950’s design, 3-season)
•Dispersed Network(Low Funding, Awareness)
•Local Access Points•Grade Crossing Safety•Maintain Mix of Modes
![Page 30: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
National & Local Significance
•Boom in Energy & Agriculture –GrowingNational Significance (ethanol, wind, solar)
•Integrated Freight Network Needed at BothLocal & National Level-capacity & safety
•Rural Infrastructure & Resources FallingBehind Accelerating Transportation Needs
•Safety, Energy Conservation, Environmentall served by Freight Network Investmentand Policy Support
![Page 31: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Questions
![Page 32: The Biofuels Boom and its Impact on Highway and Rail Safety](https://reader030.vdocuments.us/reader030/viewer/2022012808/61be48cae5571f66d82db5b8/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)