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7. Demonstration Facility for Intermodal Rail Shipping of Food Processing Chemicals

Demonstration Facility for Intermodal Rail Shipping of Food Processing Chemicals

The analysis and conclusions contained in this case study are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the point of view of the Government of Canada.

Organization
Polymer Distribution Inc.

Major Findings
Short line rail transport for shipping food grade chemicals has economic and environmental benefits.

Project Timeline
October 2006 to March 2007

Please note that some figures such as fuel costs are based on data from the period that this project took place.

Introduction

In 2006, Polymer Distribution Inc. (PDI) undertook a project with funding from Transport Canada's Freight Sustainability Demonstration Program. The project showed how using intermodal freight services (primarily truck to rail) to ship food grade chemicals reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Shipping freight can be done by any mode: air, rail, truck or ship. There has been some movement towards an intermodal system that will move freight more efficiently and with fewer GHG emissions. This system involves switching freight to the particular mode of transport where it makes the most sense and reduces the most emissions.

Studies show that rail uses less fuel and produces fewer emissions than trucks. One reason is that unlike trucks, a large number of cars can be strung together behind one power unit because of the low rolling resistance of a train's steel wheels on steel rails. This low resistance means using less fuel, which produces fewer GHG emissions. Natural Resource Canada (NRCan) reports that rail is about four times more fuel-efficient than trucks, on a tonne-kilometre basis. (Tonne-kilometre or tonne-km is the unit of measure that represents the transport of one tonne of freight over one kilometre.)

Food grade chemicals have traditionally been moved by truck. PDI wanted to show that switching to intermodal transportation - in this case, truck to rail - would not only reduce GHG emissions, but would:

• encourage short haul railroads to develop intermodal infrastructure;
• show municipal planners the environmental benefits of encouraging intermodal transportation;
• show industry stakeholders the environmental benefits of developing or using intermodal transportation; and
• show the benefits of growing intermodal operations in Guelph, Ontario.

Project Description

To reduce emissions, food grade chemicals would be shipped by rail to the intermodal facility, where the product would be transferred to trucks to reach their final destination. It was forecasted that 750 rail cars would move the same amount of freight as 1,875 transport trucks, and with fewer emissions.

The intermodal demonstration site required some additions and/or upgrades because the transport of food grade chemicals requires a much higher standard of cleanliness than regular freight. Changes included: creating a spill containment area (3 sections), sealing concrete, and installing a steam generation unit and a food grade wash bay. Since food grade chemicals such as hydrochloric acid can be highly corrosive, it was also important to be prepared for accidents and to continually monitor the groundwater system.

Project Methodology

Since PDI was developing a new service, there was no historical data to use as a baseline to measure emission reductions. The only data collected and analysed was from PDI's database and logs as recorded during the demonstration project, and these measurements were made only on railcars arriving with product at the facility.

The data analysis methodology was based on:

• total tonnage moved;
• number of railcars;
• the commodity being shipped;
• kilometres travelled;

...to a ratio of 2.5 transport trucks for every rail car of product.

Results

The demonstration period was five months - shorter than the planned 12 months. From October 2006 to March 2007, 36 rail cars replaced the equivalent of 92 transport trucks. This saved 36,217.7 litres of fuel and reduced GHG emissions by 98,874.3 kilograms. The GHG figure represents 41 % fewer GHG emissions than would have been produced if only trucks had been used during this period.

Conclusion

Polymer feels that they successfully proved that short haul railways carry food grade chemicals more efficiently than trucks and produce fewer emissions. They expect that this project will pay for itself when 100 rail cars per week are moved. On average, each railcar removes 2.5 trucks from the highway, saves the fuel they would have used and reduces GHG emissions.

However, they face the challenge of convincing companies that intermodal shipping can be done in a timely manner, meeting a stated arrival date.

The lack of rail infrastructure as well as the age and condition of the existing infrastructure (rails) are also of concern. Since there has been little focus on using short rail intermodal services to reduce GHGs, investment into short rail infrastructure has been limited.

As of March 2007, Polymer reported that the food grade shipping service was in full operation and all technologies were functioning smoothly. They are currently marketing the new intermodal shipping service to both existing and new clients.

Additional Information

• Polymer Distribution Inc.
• Natural Resources Canada

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Date modified:

2012-02-08

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