Energy Use and Pollutant Emissions Impacts of Shortline Railroad Abandonment

Railroad abandonment has potential negative effects especially in rural areas that rely on railroads for outbound and inbound shipments. The objectives of the study are (1) to develop a model that can measure wheat transport modal ton-mile shifts, (2) measure modal energy use changes, and (3) measure the modal emissions changes resulting from hypothetical shortline railroad abandonment. Total ton-miles are about the same in the simulated shortline abandonment and no shortline abandonment cases, with the abandonment scenario generating 2% fewer ton-miles. Total energy consumption is nearly identical in the two scenarios; 2.1% higher in the shortline abandonment case. Grand total emissions are 1.4% lower in the scenario that does not include shortlines in the logistics system.