The Technical and Economic Feasibility of a Freight Pipeline System in Texas – Year 2 Report
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Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA/TX-02/1519-2 I 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF A September 2001 FREIGHT PIPELINE SYSTEM IN TEXAS – YEAR 2 REPORT 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Stephen S. Roop, Leslie E. Olson, Jeffery E. Warner, Curtis A. Report 1519-2 Morgan, David H. Bierling, Craig Roco, Rogier Kneepkens, Ralph DeSwart, Mina Rahimian, Hammit Toliyat, Karin Shultz, and Othon Rediniotis 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Texas Transportation Institute The Texas A&M University System 11. Contract or Grant No. College Station, Texas 77843-3135 Project No. 0-1519 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Texas Department of Transportation Research: Research and Technology Implementation Office September 2000 – August 2001 P. O. Box 5080 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Austin, Texas 78763-5080 15. Supplementary Notes Research performed in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Research Project Title: Freight Pipeline Feasibility Study 16. Abstract The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has accelerated the rate of growth between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Tremendous quantities of goods now flow between these three trading partners, mostly transported by truck. Texas, because of its geographic location, serves as the principal land- side gateway to Mexico, and, as a consequence, hosts truck traffic from all over the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. This truck traffic is beginning to dominate certain Texas highways. It costs the state large sums of money to maintain the condition of the affected roadways. The current research is aimed at determining whether non-traditional systems can alleviate the congestion and wear problem by shifting truck-carried goods to an alternative mode. Freight-conveying pipelines are being evaluated in this context. This second year report addresses key technical issues associated with aerodynamics, vehicle design, energy consumption and availability, trucking logistics, Texas geology, system capacity, and terminal design. The report also presents a business model formulation that will serve to induce use of the system by a customer base comprising the current freight transportation industry. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Freight, Pipeline, Underground, Freight Movement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through NTIS: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 19. Security Classif.(of this report) 20. Security Classif.(of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified I Unclassified 244 I Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized THE TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF A FREIGHT PIPELINE SYSTEM IN TEXAS – YEAR 2 REPORT by Stephen S. Roop, Ph.D. Leslie E. Olson Research Scientist Associate Research Scientist Texas Transportation Institute Texas Transportation Institute Jeffery E. Warner Curtis A. Morgan Engineering Research Associate Associate Transportation Researcher Texas Transportation Institute Texas Transportation Institute David H. Bierling Craig Roco Associate Transportation Researcher Graduate Research Assistant Texas Transportation Institute Texas Transportation Institute Rogier Kneepkens Ralph DeSwart Graduate Research Assistant Graduate Research Assistant Texas Transportation Institute Texas Transportation Institute Mina Rahimian Hammit Toliyat Graduate Research Assistant Professor Electrical Engineering Department Electrical Engineering Department Karin Schultz Othon Rediniotis Graduate Research Assistant Professor Department of Geology Aerospace Engineering Department Report 1519-2 Project Number 0-1519 Research Project Title: Freight Pipeline Feasibility Study Sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation In Cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration September 2001 TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE The Texas A&M University System College Station, Texas 77843-3135 DISCLAIMER The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Federal Highway Administration or the Texas Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Texas Transportation Institute v Rail Research Center/AAR Affiliated Lab ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to express their appreciation for their forward-thinking sponsors at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation, including the project director, Paula Lancaster and the project monitoring committee. The authors would also like to thank U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas for her support. Texas Transportation Institute vi Rail Research Center/AAR Affiliated Lab TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures ..............................................................................................................................xvi List of Tables..............................................................................................................................xviii CHAPTER 1 – SUMMARY OF YEAR 1 RESEARCH................................................................1 SUMMARY OF FIRST YEAR REPORT......................................................................................1 Focus ...........................................................................................................................................1 Systems Engineering Approach ..................................................................................................2 Economics of the Prototype System............................................................................................3 Political and Institutional Issues..................................................................................................4 Research Goals............................................................................................................................4 Needs Statement..........................................................................................................................5 Needs Analysis............................................................................................................................5 YEAR 2 RESEARCH AGENDA ...................................................................................................5 Task 1 – Finalize Systems Engineering Design Specification....................................................6 Sub-task 1.1 – Finalize Functional Analysis for Sub-systems................................................6 Sub-task 1.2 – Establish Final Functional Requirements for Sub-systems.............................6 Sub-task 1.3 – Establish Final Performance Requirements for Sub-systems .........................6 Sub-task 1.4 – Establish Conceptual Design Options for Sub-systems..................................6 Task 2 – Perform Trade-Off Analysis.........................................................................................6 Task 3 – Begin Cost Analysis .....................................................................................................6 Task 4 – Policy Analysis.............................................................................................................7 Sub-task 4.1 – Meet with Trucking Firms to Determine Level of Interest in Freight Pipeline System and Operational Needs ........................................................................................7 Sub-task 4.2 – Begin Evaluation of Financing Options; Public, Private, or Public and Private...............................................................................................................................7 Sub-task 4.3 – Initiate Dialog with the Mexican Transportation Institute Regarding Bi- National Cooperation and Cross-Border Operations .......................................................7 Sub-task 4.4 – Begin Investigation of Use of Public Property for System Right of Way ......7 Sub-task 4.5 – Develop an Assessment of Issues Associated with Right of Eminent Domain.............................................................................................................................7 Sub-task 4.6 – Identify Other Regulatory and/or Environmental Issues to be Addressed......8 Task 5 – Document Year 2 Results.............................................................................................8 Additions and Alterations to the Year 2 Work Plan....................................................................8 CHAPTER 2 – FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS...............................................................................................................11 DISCUSSION ...............................................................................................................................11 TERMINAL AND MATERIAL HANDLING.............................................................................11 Functional Requirements...........................................................................................................11 Truck Access Areas...................................................................................................................11