Economics of alternative coal transportation and distribution systems in Iowa. Special Report No. 81
Iowa coal users consumed approximately 7.9 million tons of coal in 1976. Consumption of coal in Iowa is expected to climb to about 16.1 million tons by 1980. Only 540,000 tons of Iowa coal were mined in 1976. Iowa coal production continues to decline in a period of increasing demand. Several reasons are advanced to explain this decline. The main goal of this study was to evaluate alternative Iowa coal transportation and distribution systems to determine which systems could improve the competitive position of Iowa coal relative to out-of-state coal. Possible improvements in coal transportation include larger shipments such as 15- and 20-car rail shipments, alternative types of trucks and truck weight limits, and intermodal combinations of rail and truck. A mathematical programming model was used to evaluate alternative coal transportation, coal beneficiation, and coal handling systems. The objective of the analysis was to find the minimum-cost method of transporting and distributing coal to supply Iowa's projected 1980 coal consumption and, at the same time, meet the sulfur dioxide emission standards and constraints on Iowa mining capacity. The model includes six possible modes of coal transport. These include truck, barge, single-car rail, 15-car rail, 50-car rail, and 100-car unit train. Simplified conclusions are: with single rail car rates, surface mining and beneficiation of Iowa coal may increase in 1980 by a factor of 4 to about 2,000,000 tons per year. With unit train rates to the largest users, the increase is less (a little more than twice 1976 production) due to the lower transport costs on the longer unit train runs for out of state coal. There are uncertainties in these figures (which are given) and certain qualifications (essentially recommendations for study of other factors). Typically, trucks have a cost advantage over single-car rates up to 140 miles. (LTN)
- OSTI ID:
- 5202951
- Report Number(s):
- NP-25029
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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