A VISION OF RAILFREIGHT

Arguments for a shift of freight traffic from road to rail (due to road congestion, restrictions on vehicle speeds and pollution control), ignore the high costs incurred in intermodal equipment and transfer facilities, all of which tend to make road haulage cheaper, with the single exception of long panEuropean journeys. The authors examine the issues which must be addressed before European railways can become truly effective: capital cost, standardised equipment, standardised monitoring systems and security.