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Building a common
approach to problemsolving
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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ca·pac·i·ty
/kəˈpæsɪti/ Show Spelled [kuh-pas-i-tee]
1. the ability to receive or contain
2. the maximum amount or number that can be
received or contained; cubic contents; volume
3. power of receiving impressions, knowledge, etc.;
mental ability
4. actual or potential ability to perform, yield, or
withstand; eg. The capacity of the oil well was 150
barrels a day.
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Maximum number of trains that can move
through the physical plant for a given unit of
time
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Physical Capacity as adjusted for many factors:
Train activity unevenly distributed through the day
 Operations heterogeneity – differing speeds and
stopping patterns consume capacity
 Operations anomalies/variations
 Physical plant maintenance considerations
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DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Highly disciplined, scheduled services impose
extraordinary burden
Public stakeholders impose political risk
Capacity use “uneconomic” regardless of trainmile fees
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Commuter rail impacts extend well beyond
commuter service area
Future public capital always in doubt; get the
$$$ up front
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Minimum capital upfront – get the service
started
How burdensome can this be when daily
impacts are clearly defined?
The public is providing new sources of capital–
carriers should be grateful
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Passenger interests acknowledge need for rail
freight service capacity
Freight carriers acknowledge passenger goals,
but don’t want it to come at their expense
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Absolutely safe ops environment
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“Fair” sharing of costs
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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How is capacity measured?
What are the confirmations of “adequate”
capacity?
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On time performance (passenger/freight)
Average minutes of delay
Recovery capability from unplanned events
Agree on the technical modeling tools
Resource sharing
 Transparency of inputs/outputs
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Establish and record the baseline – what can
the physical plant do today?
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop
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Comprehensive service monitoring and
tracking of delays – root cause analysis
Engineering standards – building a cushion
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Eliminate slow orders and capacity/service impacts)
Load-leveling of maintenance/capital renewal
cycles
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Controlled, predictable impacts on service/capacity
DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity
Workshop