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MPC Research Reports
View AllThe study provides information to aid transportation decision makers in planning and programming for future commodity transportation needs. The study describes recent trends in potato production and processing within the state; examines the logistics of potato transportation, storage, and processing... In an attempt to provide some of the information that will enable North Dakota firms and policymakers to make better decisions, this project addressed four transportation issues, which are critical to the future of the state's agricultural sector: (1) the impact of 110-car shuttle trains on the marketing... North Dakota's grain producers rely on an efficient rail system to move their products to export and domestic markets. A recent shift to larger grain hopper cars may threaten the viability of the state's light-density branch line network. This study simulates the impacts of handling larger rail cars... This study provides a snapshot of truck/rail container intermodal shipping into and out of North Dakota. The study revealed the benefits of intermodal transportation including lower overall transportation costs, increased economic productivity and efficiency, reduced congestion and burden on over-stressed... One significant consideration when examining a business venture is to define the network for the product. The network design should take into account the number, size, and location of suppliers, producers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers.The spreadsheet model allows consideration of a number... The purpose of this component of the Strategic Freight Analysis was to provide a market-based synopsis of the potential impact of shuttle train shipments on North Dakota's local grain industry. A field load test program was conducted to evaluate three open-deck timber railroad trestle bridges. The bridges included part of a 31-span bridge, a 4-span bridge with skewed interior bents and a 3-span bridge. Plies of the chords of the bridges were evaluated non-destructively for material properties... The concept of combining wood and concrete in layered composite bridge deck was investigated. A shear key/anchor detail recently used in Europe to construct floors in office buildings was adapted for this study. This connection detail provides the interlayer shear transfer between the layers. Laboratory... The field of transportation is rapidly becoming a popular career choice for undergraduate engineering students. Many work opportunities are available in the area of transportation including computer software analysis, field testing, and consulting. Unfortunately, these opportunities are not always accessible... Because of the differentiated car program types, it is essential to understand the costs and benefits of each of them. Depending on your situation, a combination of different programs may have the best return for each organization. By providing descriptions of programs, decision makers are able to better... |
