Evaluating the Energy Efficiency of Intermodal Trains

This article examines the impact of intermodal wagon technical specifica-tions and railway infrastructure parameters on electricity consumption in rail freight transport. To conduct this investigation, a three-stage analytical model was developed. The first stage establishes core assumptions, encompassing train lengths, rolling stock types, container configurations, infrastructure constraints, and the characteristics of the energy-consumption model. The second stage identifies technical constraints of specific wagons, determines representative train compositions, and executes loading simulations. The third stage focuses on evaluating energy efficiency across diverse loading scenarios. The case study demonstrates that specific energy consumption varies significantly with wagon type, train mass, and route characteristics, challenging the use of static energy-consumption values prevalent in current literature. Results indicate that 40-foot wagons incur high energy penalties due to their tare weight and axle count, despite maximizing loading capacity. While 60-foot wagons consume less energy, they result in a high frequency of empty slots under a 20 t/axle limit. Conversely, 80-foot wagons emerge as the most energy-efficient, particularly at a 22.5 t/axle limit. Mixed consists offer a balance of operational flexibility and competitive performance. Inter-estingly, extending train length from 600 m to 730 m increases volume but does not inherently reduce unit energy consumption. These findings underscore the necessity of aligning wagon fleet selection with infrastructure capabilities and cargo characteris-tics. Ultimately, this study provides actionable recommendations for planning ener-gy-efficient intermodal operations.