Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply

Chains: Overview, Concerns, and Future

Direction

Kamran Gholamizadeh, Esmaeil Zarei, and Mohammad Yazdi

Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1 Historical Background of Rail Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Importance of Rail Transport in Supply Chain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 Components of the Railway System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Research Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3 Current Concerns, Emergent Concerns, and Outstanding Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.1 Environment/Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2 Cost and Economic Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.3 Optimization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.4 Scheduling/Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.5 Safety and Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.6 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4 Future Directions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
5 Summary and Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

K. Gholamizadeh (*)
Center of Excellence for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Occupational Health and
Safety Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
e-mail: [email protected]
E. Zarei
Department of Safety Science, College of Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,
Prescott, AZ, United States
e-mail: [email protected]
M. Yazdi
School of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW,
Australia
e-mail: [email protected]

© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022 1

J. Sarkis (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Supply Chain Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89822-9_95-1
2 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

Abstract
Supply chain development has globally increased the importance of rail transport
systems. This importance is mainly attributed to high speed, safety, reliability,
lower cost, and being eco-friendly compared to road transportation. This chapter
examines the overview of the rail freight network, its role in the supply chain,
scientific literature, and current concerns. Rail network concerns are investigated
considering six essential elements: environment, cost, optimization, operation,
planning, and safety and resilience. Furthermore, a comprehensive causality
network is developed to manage the railway network effectively. Finally, future
directions, opportunities, and challenges in this domain are presented.

Keywords
Railway transportation · Rail freight transport · Supply chain · Safety · Security ·
Optimization

1 Introduction

Rail transport (RT) is one of the critical elements in a sustainable transport system
and supply chain (Hao-dong & Shi-wei, 2010). RT importance is attributed to three
critical factors (Lapidus et al., 2019). First, the low level of external costs leads RT to
be an economical option for freight customers. Second, RT is environmentally
friendly. RT is the most environmentally friendly method of land transportation for
freight. Lower CO2 emissions and energy consumption per tonne-kilometer com-
pared to road transport or inland waterways transport have the least destructive
impacts on the environment. Third, it provides higher capacity in the fastest possible
time and less intercity traffic, making the railways a preferred way for transporting
bulk goods such as solid mineral fuels and metal scrap.
RT is also known for transporting petroleum products and fertilizers. This impor-
tance is felt far more in North America and Asia than in Europe. In this regard, longer
distances, shorter stops, and the possibility of running trains with much higher
capacities are among the essential advantages of rail infrastructure in North America
and Asia (Mohammadfam & Gholamizadeh, 2021).
The increased importance of RT in the supply chain has necessitated a compre-
hensive review of its characteristics, opportunities, and challenges. This chapter
provides a comprehensive overview of RT and its contributions to supply chains.
The background section of this chapter presents the history of rail networks, their
importance in the supply chain, and rail network infrastructure. The current con-
cerns, emergent concerns, and special research section offer some research back-
ground on RT and its role in the supply chain. Concerns are presented in the future
directions section. The summary and conclusion section discusses future directions
and challenges based on current and emerging concerns.
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 3

2 Background

2.1 Historical Background of Rail Transport

Table 1 illustrates the evolution of rail transport since 1550 (SNCFT, 2010). The
origins of RT go back to the invention of the fixed steam engine by James Watt.
Extensive work on steam locomotives began only after his patent expired in 1800.
Several inventors started working on improving the Watt design. Of course, some
wagons’ horses pulled on rails made of wood long before that. Under uncompressed
pressure in the first few years of the nineteenth century, the first steam engines
allowed engineers to build a new rail system. The invention of the train became one
of the critical events in history for human progress in developing freight transpor-
tation. The first locomotive to run on a steel rail was a freight car built in the south of
England by Richard Trevithick. This move marked the beginning of the construction
of the freight train and later the passenger train.
Throughout history, researchers have had significant concerns about the perfor-
mance of rail freight systems, and they addressed many of them through advance-
ments in technology. Timely delivery of goods and transportation optimization have
supplied chain managers’ most critical challenges. Delays in freight delivery, rail
route interventions, energy optimization, and environmental protection have signif-
icantly affected the efficiency of rail systems in the supply chain. In addition,
improving safety to prevent accidents is one of the concerns of supply chain
managers. Life and financial losses have always been in the spotlight. The estab-
lishment of central control systems, mechanical interlocks to prevent operator error,
and radio communication systems are some of the control solutions in this field.

2.2 Importance of Rail Transport in Supply Chain

RT plays a vital part in the logistics supply chain and third-party providers. RT has
been recognized as a viable alternative to road transport. Moreover, RT is essential
for future economic prosperity, so it plays a crucial role in ensuring continued
competition and the creation of commercial wealth through its integration with the
supply chain.
Figure 1 shows the volume of rail freight transported in the United States
(US) and the European Union (EU) from 2006 to 2019 (Carlier, 2021a, 2021b).
The average transported rail freight volume between 2006 and 2019 in the USA
(Carlier, 2021a, 2021b) and EU (R FTS, 2021) was 2.4 and 0.385 trillion tonne-
kilometers, respectively.
Statistics also present that the shares of rail transport in the supply chain in the
USA are significantly higher than in the EU (R FTS, 2021). Alternatively, in 2019,
goods were transported by approximately 3.1 billion ton-kilometers by rail in Europe
and Turkey, slightly lower than in Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East – which had
about 3.5 billion ton-kilometers transported by rail in the same year (Carlier, 2021a,
2021b).
4 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

Table 1 The history of developments of the railway in the world (SNCFT, 2010)
Year Events
1550 The first frame invention was proposed for a moving cart on a mine rail in Alsace,
Switzerland.
1671 Denis Papin presents the theory of the ability of vapor pressure in the development of
railways
1738 Iron plates were created instead of wooden rails in a mine in the UK to reduce wear
1789 The invention of a rail system consisting of cast-iron rails and flanged wheels rolled into a
pudding by William Jessop
1804 Construction and testing of the world’s first locomotive with a carrying capacity of
10 tons (in 5 cars) by Richard Trevithick
1808 Design and build a more advanced locomotive than the first version
1823 George Robert Stephenson establishes the first locomotive plant in Newcastle
1825 Inauguration of the world’s first passenger train with traction steam engine in the UK
1828 The operation of the French-saint Etienne Andrézieux railway was started
1831 Test of the first locomotives made in France by Marc Seguin
1835 Construction and opening of railways in Belgium and Germany
1837 Inauguration of the 19 km Paris-Saint-Germain railway
1838 Invent the rail-based postal machine to collect and move postal packages between
Birmingham and Liverpool
1839 The inauguration of the Paris-Versailles and Netherlands-Italy railways
1840 The first train report in the UK by the telegraph
1842 Construction of the factory for the production of the world’s first electric locomotives
(with batteries) by Davidson
1843 The inauguration of the Paris-Rouen and Paris-Orleans railways in France. In this last
line, the carriages are transported with their passengers on flat cars (the first combined
attempt of the railways)
1847 The start-up of the first Crampton fast locomotive with a large driveshaft (over 2.2 m) and
using it in many rail networks
1851 Rail transport of perishable goods in refrigerated ice wagons in the United States
1853 Introduction of the railway in India
1855 The usage of the Vignier device to prevent operator error in the signal box and prevent
signaling by activating mechanical interlock
1858 Design and development of Gillard-type injectors to replace water supply pump in
locomotives.
1864 Construction of the first railway line in Indonesia
1868 Researchers designed and operated the first steam locomotive with heavy oil heating by
Sainte Claire Deville
1869 The constitution of a rail link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
1879 Design and commissioning of an electric tram in Berlin by Siemens and Halske
1882 The first application of electric lighting at a station in France (Saint-Lazare) for round-
the-clock loading and unloading activities
1893 The trial of an electric locomotive connected to a battery in the northern network
1900 Design a high-speed locomotive in Belfort by Alsatian at a speed of 140 km/h
1912 Construction of the first diesel locomotive with 1200 hp. in Germany by Sulzer
1918 The establishment of a central control network in France to control the train’s movement
(dispatching)
(continued)
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 5

Table 1 (continued)
Year Events
1922 Creation of the International Union of Railways (UIC) in Paris
1931 Test Renault and Michelin cars at 107 km/h for cargo
1937 The tee of the two 4000 hp. diesel locomotives in the PLM network
1955 Set the world speed record by electric locomotives CC 7107 and BB 9004 with 331 km/h
1961 The tryout of freight trains in the United States with a starting load of 25,000 tons with six
locomotives located in the front, middle, and tail and equipped with a telephone radio
1972 Record speed of 307 km/h based on self-propelled traction by the gas turbine of the
French train TGV001
2004 Launch of a new generation of regional high-speed trains (TER) by Bombardier transport
company equipped with diesel technology for use in nonelectric lines

3000 US EU
Rail freight in billion tonne-kilometers

2500

2000

1500

1000

500

0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Fig. 1 The volume of rail freight transported in the United States and the European Union from
2006 to 2019. (Carlier, 2021a, 2021b; RFTS, 2021)

RT traffic has generally grown worldwide between 2018 and 2019 (Carlier,
2021a, 2021b). The analysis of the share of RT in comparison with road and inland
waterways transport is also significant. The share of RT has been approximately a
quarter of the share of road transport in the EU (see Fig. 2) (FTS, 2021). On the other
hand, the rail network has been used approximately three times more than the inland
waterways to transport materials (FTS, 2021).
The cited statistics demonstrate the importance of railway networks in the supply
chain and materials logistics. Railway networks are second only to road transport,
and their importance is increasing every year.
6 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

90
Road Rail Inland waterway
80
% share in tonne-kilometers

70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Fig. 2 Modal split of inland freight transport in EU from 2008 to 2019. (FTS, 2021)

2.3 Components of the Railway System

The railway is one of the most extended land transportation systems. Trains run on
their own on a unique steel guide defined by two parallel rails using fuel or remote
transmission force (electric traction) on movable steel wheels (Profillidis, 2016).
Railways are designed to move passengers and cargo, and their excellent capability
makes them deal with any distance in multiple geographical circumstances (urban,
suburban, regional, and interurban). Its range for passenger transport is usually
approximately 1500 km, while this distance can be much longer for freight transport.
Figure 3 summarizes the components of the railway system (Pyrgidis, 2019).
We can divide rail systems into three aspects. In the first aspect, the railway
system is divided into power vehicles, single vehicles, trailer vehicles, and engi-
neering vehicles. These are, in turn, classified according to the type of fuel used and
the type of use (passenger or freight). Secondly, rail systems may be classified
according to the kind of route. Accordingly, tunnels, regular routes, bridge routes,
overpasses, and underpasses are considered. The third category is related to the type
of rail system trains. Push/pull trains, loco-hauled, and multiunit trains are part of
this aspect, used to carry passengers or freight depending on the wagon type.

2.4 Research Literature

Studies regarding the rail network’s role in the supply chain have been explicit since
1998 – the term supply chain was not as widely used in academic literature before
this time. Lebedev and Staples (1998) indirectly investigated the role of the rail
network in supplying coal from mines and transferring it to power plants. In this
context, a comprehensive bibliometric search was performed using the Scopus
database.
 Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . .
Railway system

Civil engineering
Railway train Rolling stock
structure

*Tunnels Power vehicles

(traction units or Single railcars Trailer vehicles Engineering vehicles
Push–pull trains Loco-hauled trains Railcars/multiple units *Bridges
*Overpasses/underpasses locomotives)
*Drainage systems
*Retaining walls/galleries *Diesel *Heavy track works engineering vehicles
Passenger Passenger *Electric Passenger cars *Track recording vehicles
*Noise barriers Power Shunting
Passenger Track bed layers *Fencing *Gas turbine
*Embankments and cuttings
Conventional Freight wagons
speed *High speed *Coupe
*High speed *Conventional loads *Steam
*Conventional speed *Individual passengers’ Seats
*Conventional speed *Heavy haul *Diesel
*Suburban *Double-deckers
*Hazardous goods *Gas
*Transport of small parcels *turbine Electric *Common (or general
use)
*Specific use

Fig. 3 The components of the railway system. (Pyrgidis, 2019)

7
8 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

40

35

30
Number of publication

25

20

15

10

0
1998 2003 2008 2013 2018

Year

Fig. 4 The trend of literature published in the rail network field and its role in the supply chain

The results show that 197 documents have been published since 1998 on rail
transportation and its direct or indirect role in the supply chain, as illustrated in
Fig. 4. Increasing the number of studies was initially slow, but the number of
documents published since 2013 has significantly increased. In 2013, 10 papers
were published, and in 2014 this number increased to 37 papers. In recent years, the
increasing growth in academic achievements is attributed to the tangible increase in
the importance of the rail network and its role in the supply chain.
Findings related to the analysis of the subject area of studies also pointed out that
most studies were conducted in engineering and social sciences – with shares of
23.7% and 15.3% of the total studies, respectively – see Fig. 5. On the other hand,
economics, mathematics, and agricultural and biological sciences had the lowest
shares with 2.6%, 3.3%, and 3.3% of the total studies. It is noteworthy that business
and accounting comprise 10.3% of studies.
In addition, the findings of the analysis of the types of studies showed that
125 documents (63.5%) were journal papers (Fig. 6). Also, 51 documents (25.9%)
were conference papers. The findings also revealed that China and the USA were
countries having the most published documents, with 43 and 36 documents, respec-
tively, followed by India, Sweden, and the United Kingdom with ten each.

3 Current Concerns, Emergent Concerns, and Outstanding

Research

The identified studies did not focus directly on rail transportation and the supply
chain. A close look at the direct studies revealed that they addressed six significant
concerns – as presented in Fig. 7. In the following sections, these six concerns are
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 9

Economics 2.6% Other 9.8%

Mathematics 3.3% Engineering 23.7%

Agricultural and
Biological Sciences
3.3%

Energy 6.9%

Decision Sciences Social Sciences

6.9% 15.3%

Computer Science
8.4%

Business, Environmental
Management and Science 10.8%
Accounting 10.3%

Fig. 5 The subject of studies in the field of the rail network and its role in the supply chain

Journal Paper 63.5%

Conference Paper 25.9%

Conference Review 4.6%

Book Chapter 3%

Review Paper 1.5%

Book 1%

Note 0.5%

Fig. 6 The type of studies in the field of the rail network and its role in the supply chain

discussed. These concerns include environment/energy, cost and economics, opti-

mization, scheduling/planning, safety and security, and operation.
10 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

Environment/
Cost/Economy
Energy

Rail transportation
Optimization Operation
concerns

Scheduling/ Safety and

Planning Security

Fig. 7 Primary Concerns in the rail transport & supply chain

3.1 Environment/Energy

There is a close relationship between environmental impacts and the energy used by
locomotives. As a result, locomotives that use diesel and other fossil fuels have more
harmful effects on the environment. Therefore, in the last decade, due to the stricter
rules of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – in the United States – the
willingness of railway network managers to use electric locomotives has increased.
Alternatively, the concern of releasing harmful gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2)
and greenhouse gases (GHG) is gaining attention from researchers. Jäppinen (2014)
examined the effects of local biomass availability and possibilities for train trans-
portation on GHG emissions. The findings of this study proved that site-specific
biomass availability and transportation possibilities should be considered in GHG
emission management because there is an inverse relationship between the emission
level of these gases and path characteristics. Jäppinen (2014) also examined GHG
emissions of forest-biomass supply chains to commercial-liquid scale-biofuel pro-
duction plants in Finland. The findings demonstrated that GHG release is signifi-
cantly reduced through railway transportation from distant supply areas.
Moreover, Zuo (2013) used a “spatial decision support system (SDSS)” to
investigate scenarios for reduced CO2 emissions from the rail cars in Wales and
the UK. Their findings demonstrate that replacing locomotives and using two new
mines with a reduction of 260,000 tons and a reduction of 140,000 tons of CO2 were
the most effective control scenarios to decrease the environmental impacts in
RT. Wanke (2015) demonstrated that carbon emissions should be considered in
rail network planning. Accordingly, the inclusion of carbon emission costs in the
planning of logistic networks is a critical point.
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 11

3.2 Cost and Economic Concerns

Profitability based on cost-benefit ratios plays a vital role in transportation manage-

ment. Costs usually include maintenance, personnel, fuel, environmental pollution,
and taxes. Generally, direct and indirect costs must be significantly less than the
profit from freight or passenger transport (Abbas et al., 2013). Hence, transportation
management has always welcomed low cost-high benefit approaches. They exam-
ined the coke-making supply chain and its costs using rail and road data in Shanxi,
China. Researchers have also conducted studies in this field that adumbrate the
superiority of the rail network over the road network in freight transport.
Hendrickson (2006) demonstrates that transportation management should prioritize
rail infrastructure budgets because the cost of the rail network is much lower than
road transport.
There is a priority for rail transport costs, but not in all areas. Yuqian and Siping
(2010) pointed to a “region” factor that plays a more critical role in cost-benefit in
rail freight. They took into account the “region” factor and showed that in some
regions, for geographical reasons, rail costs could be higher than road costs. It is
worth noting that the prioritization of rail and road networks can differ depending on
the area. In addition, the type of fuel used by locomotives also has a significant effect
on the level of costs. Tahvanainen and Anttila (2011) revealed that at distances less
than 60 km, freight movement by trucks is less expensive than locomotives using
wood fuel (biofuel), but at distances of more than 130 km, the rail network is less
costly.
Another economic challenge is large container businesses. Usually, in the supply
chain structure of container trade, the containers are loaded in the country of origin,
and the consignment is shipped to a large logistics center at the goel or a distribution
center closer to the goel. However, this method may not be optimal for total logistics
costs because the entire transport route is spent transporting cargo from one origin to
one destination. Their study (Lin et al., 2020) suggested that in such cases, shipping
is done in a branch to share several buyers in a shipment. Their findings point out that
this solution could reduce monetary logistics costs: converting less than full con-
tainer load (LCL) shipments to full container load (FCL) shipments and converting
almost 20-foot FCL shipments to 40-foot FCL shipments.

3.3 Optimization

There is an interconnection between optimization and costs and environmental

effects because optimization seeks to reduce or minimize these effects. Mathematical
optimization or mathematical programming in mathematics, economics, and man-
agement refers to choosing the best member from achievable members (Rao, 2019).
Mathematical experts endeavored to obtain the maximum and minimum values of an
actual function by systematically selecting data from an achievable set and calculat-
ing the value of an actual function (Antoniou & Lu, 2007).
12 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

There are two assumptions in management: data availability and data constraints.
The optimal value can be estimated using the first and second derivatives methods
for continuous variables if we access the data. On the other hand, if we do not have
access to the data, depending on the organizational and economic problems, models
such as linear, integer, ideal, nonlinear, Lagrangian coefficient, defined or definite
methods can be used. Therefore, an optimal point can be found using the available
methods (Intriligator, 2002).
In optimization, depending on the conditions of the rail network, control solutions
are provided, and then the optimal points can be calculated using the mentioned
models. In simpler terms, the optimal points are the ideal state that can be
implemented in the rail network. Studies in this area go to 2010 when Zang (2010)
used the rail transportation joint optimization method to investigate the power coal
transportation and inventory problem, and their findings showed that implementing
the findings of this model could reduce total costs, transportation time, and fuel
consumption, as well as increase rail system efficiency. In general, this is the ultimate
goal of optimization programs. This issue has received considerable attention from
rail transport management in the last decade. Ma (2014) also presented a freight
train’s operation diagram, a comprehensive optimization model, on high-speed rails
and verified the proposed model using genetic algorithms. This model consisted of
two parameters: economic profit and time consumption. The findings demonstrated
that the model has led to economic benefits and reduced time consumption.
Like many management methods, we can use optimization methods depending
on their capabilities and the model’s objectives. Static and single-objective optimi-
zation models may not effectively support inter-firm collaboration to achieve optimal
rail logistics. In this regard, multiobjective dynamic methods can be more effective.
Palander (2015) (Palander, 2015) presented a model based on dynamic multi-
objective linear programming, which supported inter-company cooperation because
importing and exporting goods to the regional rail transport environment requires the
continuous and integrated optimization of supply flows and railroad cars. Moreover,
Shramenko (2019) used this optimization model to evaluate the railway efficiency.
Their results showed that using optimal solutions, the efficiency of the railway
reached 324.2 ton/h and the delivery interval reached 1.75 days. These signs of
progress lead to economic benefits and lower time consumption.
Another primary problem involving rail manager input is the optimization of
energy consumption to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of the rail system. In
recent years, engineers have been working on nonstop power exchange systems and
have developed optimal models in this area. Liu (2021) has proposed an optimal
model for overcoming hydrogen fuel deficiencies in trains based on continuous
power exchange using mechanisms of supply, consumption, and replenishment of
multienergy forms (hydrogen energy, Photovoltaic, and electrical energy). Their
study revealed that the benefits of using the introduced system are reducing the
cost of energy, improving solar energy production, and increasing the capacity of
energy carriers to solve the problem of distance-traveled anxiety in nonstop power
exchange systems.
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 13

3.4 Scheduling/Planning

The transportation of goods should not be decoupled from the production cycle and
assembly of goods, and therefore, the transportation schedule must be consistent
with the production schedule (Hajiaghaei-Keshteli & Aminnayeri, 2014). This
coordination is one of the elements of supply chain improvement, and if properly
designed and implemented, it can reduce accident statistics and reduce transportation
time and costs.
Rail network synchronization is no exception to this rule of coordination. Math-
ematical algorithms are used to develop rail chain-related synchronization. Due to
the entanglement of rail networks and cargo movement in different lines, each
wagon must pass through a rail joint at a suitable time to avoid catastrophic
accidents. Hajiaghaei-Keshteli and Aminnayeri (2014) introduced a proprietary
algorithm called the Keshtel algorithm. Their findings point out that the Keshtel
algorithm is more efficient when the problem size is more significant and, con-
versely, it is better to use the genetic algorithm when the problem size is small. They
suggested that researchers compare the performance of mathematical algorithms in
future studies.
On the other hand, setting a schedule for the production and allocation of rail
freight orders to optimize customer service at the lowest cost is another concern in
rail synchronization. Different train destinations, train capacity, and different trans-
portation costs are the main aspects of concern that need to be considered. Their
study (Hajiaghaei-Keshteli et al., 2014) revealed that genetic algorithms provide
more accurate findings in solving large-scale problems than simulated annealing.
Another concern related to scheduling is the timing of trains arriving at stations.
Another train on the same track is approaching the station when a train stops. This
schedule is essential. Thus, coordination is necessary in this regard.
Zinder (2016) presents two polynomial-time optimization procedures for the train
scheduling problem, where a single railway track connects two stations. They used
dynamic programming and the Iterative algorithm for this purpose. The findings of
this study showed that a combination of the two methods could be used to schedule
the movement and stopping of cars.

3.5 Safety and Security

Although RT seems to have a higher safety level than road transport, it introduces
serious hazards (Mohammadfam et al., 2020). Many factors together can cause rail
accidents. The nature of rail accidents may be examined from two aspects. First,
cargo overturned or colliding with another train could kill or injure personnel,
passengers, or residents. Second, goods transported by a rail network can lead to
catastrophic consequences such as fire, explosion, or the release of toxic substances.
The latter is more hazardous and prevalent in chemical materials transporting,
waterways, and railways.
14 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

Zarei (2022) proposed a dynamic approach to investigating the consequences of

gasoline leakage. This investigation calculated the leak and propagation (escalated)
probability of gasoline release from the rail cars using the Fuzzy-Bayesian network
model. They also presented a dynamic model for analyzing domino effects risk in the
rail network while capturing the time dependency. Their findings proved that fires
and explosions caused by gasoline leaks involved radii of up to 18 m and 60 m,
respectively, resulting in significant human, environmental, and financial losses. The
research pointed out that the golden time to deal with the potential fire scenarios is
around 5 min because the escalation probability to other rail cars (i.e., causing a
domino effect) jumps dramatically after this moment. Therefore, it is necessary to
meet the safety and risk-driven requirements in designing the railway systems,
especially when they crisis residential areas.
In addition, Mohammadfam (2022) proposed a quantitative framework for
assessing the risk of consequences related to the gasoline leakage from rail cars in
the urban areas. Their findings showed that at 50.00, 53.00, and 54.50 m away from
the gasoline leakage point, the individual risks of vapor cloud explosion (VCE) (per
working year) are 1.00E-4, 1.00E-5, and 1.00E-6, respectively. As a result, they
suggested that residential buildings and recreational and commercial areas should be
built at a distance of more than 55 m from the leak point in urban areas where the risk
is lower than 1.00E-6 per year.
Moreover, emergency response planning and crisis management are other vital
challenges. Reducing rail accidents has recently become a vital priority for railway
management. Reducing the rate of these accidents and crisis management when they
occur are the effective parameters in creating sustainable development in the railway
network. Although advances in technology have reduced rail accidents, according to
the International Union of Railways (UIC), efforts to reduce rail accidents to zero are
still challenges in managing rail transport. We can examine rail safety from four
aspects, including risk assessment, emergency response management, human fac-
tors, and reliability engineering (UIC, 2019).
Despite significant progress, RT development is often accompanied by
unpredictable disasters. In 2003, an arsonist set a train on fire in Daejeon, Korea,
causing a severe fire that killed 198 people and injured 147 (Park et al., 2013). In
2005, another incident occurred in Japan. A train traveling between the suburbs and
the city of Amagasaki derailed and collided with a building, killing 107 people and
injuring 549 others. In mid-2011, a Chinese train traveling from Beijing collided
with another train from Hangzhou due to a signal failure, killing 40 people and
injuring 200 others (Dong et al., 2012). In Iran, the Neyshabur train accident was
another clear example of a rail accident in history that occurred on February
18, 2004, killing more than 350 people and injuring 460 others (Jahangiri et al.,
2018). As a result, emergency response has become a vital issue in developing rail
systems. Designing and implementing effective strategies to reduce casualties and
financial losses as much as possible is the main framework of the emergency
response (Dong et al., 2012). Emergency management can reduce the number of
people exposed to potential consequences by zoning the scene and improving the
resiliency of supply chains.
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 15

The rail networks worldwide have always been directly and indirectly affected by
natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes. Geologists have always considered
landslides and floods in the safe routing of rail networks, therefore, less prone to
distracted by natural disasters. For example, a storm caused extensive damage to rail
and road networks in the UK on June 28, 2012. In this regard, Jaroszweski (2015)
suggested that related experts should notice the safety and security measures to deal
with natural emergencies on all relevant railway lines and stations. This approach is a
constructive interaction between operations and system resilience.
Generally, it is vital to minimize the impact of natural climate disasters on rail
network activities. Woodburn (2019) pointed out that the effects of climate disasters
are short term and, at the same time, have meaningful economic and operational
impacts. Consider a sudden storm that starts at 9 a.m. and continues until 11:30 p.m.
In this case, we are facing a short-term natural disaster. Nevertheless, on the other
hand, the effects of this storm can affect the railway network and supply chain for
several weeks. Rail network cleaning, rail line repairs, treatment of potential casu-
alties, substantial economic costs, etc., can be part of these effects.
On the other hand, the timely presence of emergency response forces such as
firefighters and medical rescuers can also reduce casualties and financial losses. In
addition, if it is at the right level of performance, the incident command system can
prevent unnecessary gatherings at the scene and create proper coordination between
different organizations. It is noteworthy that implementing the National Fire Protec-
tion Agency (NFPA) and EU standards can play a vital role in emergency manage-
ment (Mohammadfam & Gholamizadeh, 2020).
The issue of theft is also essential in reviewing the security of rail networks. In
general, in heavy industry, rail freight volume is indispensable. Thefts often occur
due to the poor security of rail routes – usually passing through plains, mountains,
and forests – and the significant volume of goods in rail transport. The main problem
with securing rail transportation is predicting the location with the most potential for
theft. Risk assessment with advanced engineering tools that can simulate human
thinking is efficient. Lorenc (2020) predicted the risk of stolen sites in the rail
network using artificial intelligence networks and machine learning methods. They
had already identified the high-risk areas (based on the history of thefts) and then
calculated the risk of those areas using the mentioned two methods. Their findings
showed that machine learning (by identifying high-risk areas ¼ 100%) performed
better than artificial intelligence networks (efficiency ¼ 94.7%). Thus, machine
learning could be used as a reliable tool in developing rail infrastructure security.
Risk assessment is central to security and safety and overall supply chain and RT
resilience. Risk assessment means identifying, assessing, evaluating, and controlling
the hazards. Risk is the interaction of the two main parameters of probability and
severity (Zarei et al., 2013).
Experts seek to answer a series of questions in most risk assessment investiga-
tions. What is the rate or probability of a rail accident, equipment failure, rail
overturning, derailment, and consequences such as fire, explosion, injuries, and
fatalities resulting from the accident? How severe are the consequences of a rail
16 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

accident? What should be the safe distance from the railway networks? What should
preventive control strategies be considered to prevent these accidents?
Safety engineers use various tools to answer risk assessment questions. Risk is
usually calculated quantitative and qualitatively, and in the last decade, experts have
paid more attention to quantitative risk because of its accuracy. For instance, to
quantify the risk probabilities, we can use appropriate tools such as Fault Tree
Analysis (FTA), Event Tree Analysis (ETA), and Bowtie analysis (Mohammadfam
et al., 2022).
Bayesian networks, artificial neural networks, and fuzzy sets theories can be used
(Gholamizadeh et al., 2022). Safety engineers can also use appropriate tools to
calculate the severity. Severity calculation can begin with consequences modeling
(Aliabadi & Gholamizadeh, 2021; Gholamizadeh et al., 2019). Simulation equations
(Zarei et al., 2022) or specialized software can be used, such as PHAST and ALOHA
software. This software estimates the thermal radiation caused by fire and over-
pressures caused by explosions and toxic substances concentrated at different
distances from the center of the chemical leak.
PHAST software can directly extract the risk by entering the probabilities
(Aliabadi & Gholamizadeh, 2021). Other methods can input thermal radiation and
explosion pressure values into the probit equations, with the severity factor finally
estimated (Mohammadfam et al., 2022). Quantitative risk can then be calculated by
multiplying the probability of the consequences by their severity factor. The calcu-
lated risk should be compared with the risk criteria, and the degree of desirability of
the risk should be evaluated. Finally, safe distances and control solutions are
provided (Aliabadi & Gholamizadeh, 2021).
Human error plays a significant role in rail accidents. Welders, for example, are
the most vulnerable component of railroads and can be easily damaged by the fault
of designers, manufacturers, operators, or maintainers. Design defects caused by the
designer, defective welded joints caused by the manufacturer, excessive speed or
loads caused by the operator, and corrosion of railway lines due to poor inspection
and maintenance could be the cause of defects. These errors are not related to a
specific time and can occur at any time. Moreover, human errors can occur in all rail
system parts (Mohammadfam et al., 2022): train controlling, rail planning, manual
operations in the maintenance, loading, and unloading operations. Therefore, these
errors must be evaluated using suitable tools (Gholamizadeh et al., 2022).
Humans and technical functions require extensive human-machine operations in
the rail network. Although the mentioned technological advances have operationally
improved freight transport, many activities such as control, repair, and monitoring
are still operated by human resources (Wilson & Norris, 2005). Hence, it is necessary
to pay attention to human factors. However, human factors analysis receives more
attention in the safety and ergonomics domain. Rail human research has proliferated
over the past few years, both in quantity and quality.
The continuing effects of safety concerns, new technical system opportunities,
business reorganization, the need to increase the effective, reliable, and secure use of
capacity, and the increasing interests of society, the media, and government have
now significantly accelerated rail human resource research programs (Reinach &
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 17

Viale, 2006). Future studies in this field could be performed to analyze human errors
and study human behavior in rail systems. In this regard, the use of specialized
methods such as HFACS (Human Factors Analysis and Classification System),
HEART (Human error assessment and reduction technique), and THERP (The
technique for human error-rate prediction) can be helpful, depending on the type
of study (Gholamizadeh et al., 2022).
Hassan (2009) suggested that in assessing the risks associated with rail transpor-
tation, experts consider human errors and technical failures. They used the human
error assessment and reduction technique (HEART) to assess human reliability in
rail accidents. Baysari (2008) used the HFACS method to identify the factors
influencing rail accidents in Australia. Their findings revealed that nearly half of
the incidents resulted from equipment failure, resulting from inadequate mainte-
nance or monitoring programs. In the remaining cases, slips of attention (i.e., skilled-
based errors), associated with decreased alertness and physical fatigue, were the
most common unsafe acts leading to accidents and incidents.
Also, Madigan (2016) used the HFACS method to analyze five types of rail
accident reports. They proved that in the study of human error, experts pay more
attention to operational failures, and in future studies, latent failures should also be
considered. They also proposed a new category entitled “Operational Environment”
for future studies on the use of HFACS. Other methods have also been observed in
studies related to human error analysis in rail transport.
Safety experts pursue the goal to predict and analyze human error probability
(HEP). For this purpose, researchers use specialized methods such as THERP,
HEART, CREAM, and SLIM (Success Likelihood Index Method). Zhou and Lei
(2020) used a combination of HFACS and SLIM methods to analyze the probability
of human error in the railway driving process. They first used HFACS to identify
links between human parameters related to 611 rail accidents and then calculated the
human error probabilities using SLIM and network analysis.
In addition, researchers used FANP to handle the problems of interdependencies
and interaction between EPCs and the uncertainty that exists in the experts’ judg-
ment was used. Sun (2020) used the modified CREAM method to analyze human
error probability in high-speed railway dispatching tasks. Like other methods of
assessing human error, the traditional CREAM cannot calculate the probabilities
with sufficient accuracy when faced with a lack of sufficient information.
Therefore, it must be combined with appropriate quantification methods. Sun
(2020) used a 2-tuple linguistic term set to describe CPCs evaluation, combined
weighted Common Performance Conditions (CPCs) by Evidential Reasoning
(ER) approach, and adopted the multi-Attribute Group Decision-Making
(MAGDM) method to calculate HEP.
The authors suggest that in future studies, third-generation methods of human
error analysis – such as using a Bayesian network to evaluate the dynamics of human
error in the rail system – could be used in sensitive parts of the rail network. These
sensitive areas include rail line planning, movement and stop planning, and loading
and unloading operations.
18 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

The concept of reliability is an essential indicator for measuring random network

performance. Reliability is the ability of a system or component to perform its
required functions under stated conditions for a specified period. In recent years,
deteriorating urban traffic conditions and frequent traffic congestion have widened
the gap between traffic conditions and passenger expectations, forcing transportation
management to look at traffic problems more rationally. Reliability can be investi-
gated in maintenance, planning, mechanical, and operation. Interested readers can
refer to Vromans (2005).
Reliability, maintenance, and support of rail logistics address the concepts that
must be considered in the design, development, and operation of a system. There is a
deep connection between system reliability and safety. These parameters strongly
affect the performance and costs of rail transportation and, in particular, should guide
the choice of railroad managers in planning maintenance actions.
The traditional approach to maintenance planning has always been available for
each case based on previous experience in maintaining the same equipment. This
approach is now obsolete because it is not feasible if new technologies are used, and
there is no historical memory or experience for new situations. So management must
take a more appropriate approach based on a probabilistic estimate of system
behavior and actual data. In other words, a dynamic prediction must be made during
system operation. The so-called reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) policy
meets this requirement.
The RCM must progress in three steps before achieving significant results. First,
the RCM process must examine the performance of assets and, based on that,
understand the goals of asset productivity. Second, look at how an asset can fail,
including the impact of failures on systems and subsystems. Third, the RCM must
develop mitigation strategies that can be implemented against potential failures.
Investigations have shown that when the RCM process is used in other industries,
it has been able to increase the quality of the maintenance process, improve the
reliability and safety of the equipment, and reduce maintenance costs. In this line,
Creecy (2003) reports that some organizations have saved up to $ 147 million a year
in RCM maintenance costs; others (D’Addio et al., 1997) have shown that RCM
could reduce costs and increase the profitability of rail systems.
We can divide the safety and security events in the supply chain into three
categories. The first category is events whose severity is insignificant or low, and
the probability of their occurrence is known. These events are less important, and
their prevention is not a priority. These types of events are called known events. The
second category is rare events, but the consequences are predictable, events such as
hurricanes in Los Angeles; although the probability of such accidents cannot be
determined, the resulting damage can be estimated based on similar cases. These
events are known as unidentified or gray solid events. The third category refers to
events that have not been experienced yet. The consequences of their occurrence are
severe. For example, an earthquake may occur in Oslo, but due to its nonoccurrence
to date, its probability cannot be accurately estimated. These events will have severe
consequences and are called unrecognizable or strong black events. The first
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 19

category of events can be justified by the concepts of reliability, while to justify the
second and third categories of events, a new concept called “resilience” is needed.
Resilience is originally derived from the Latin word resilience and means to
return. Resilience is the ability of a system, community, or society at risk to resist,
absorb, adapt, and recover on time from the effects of a hazard and maintain and
rebuild the basic structures and functions of the system. Resilience applications
observe in the multifarious supply chain, engineering, organizational, economic,
ecological, and social domains (Hosseini et al., 2016).
In recent years, engineering resilience has been investigated in rail networks.
These studies addressed four central challenges of topology, data-driven, simulation,
and optimization. In rail systems where equipment is constantly exposed to break-
down, the root causes occur in various inherent, natural, human, and operational
factors.
Equipment maintenance and repair are an essential part of the systems operations
process. In such systems, rapid detection of resilience means reducing the duration
and severity of disturbances. In other words, the ability to predict, tolerate, and adapt
to different disturbances – meaning the disturbance of events with low probability
and severe consequences. The resilience of rail systems can be defined in three parts
before, during, and after the accident (Hollnagel, 2013):

Before the Accident:

• Situational Awareness: Awareness of the state of the system in the past, present,
and future (extensive monitoring, protection, and control system)
• Preparedness: Prepared for gray and black events
• Endurance: Endurance against known events

During the Accident:

• Adaptability: the capacity of the system to adapt to a new network status

• Durability: The ability of the system to mitigate an accident

After the Accident:

• Recovery and self-repair: Return to regular operation, detect and locate the fault,
and auto-recover
• Speed of operation: High speed to return to normal situation

It is expected that the rail system’s performance does not decrease rapidly after the
onset of the accident due to its endurance. This step is prevention. The duration of this
step depends on the situational awareness and strength of the network. Naturally,
increasing the duration of prevention leads to improving system reliability. This
improvement depends on the design phase. On the other hand, after a specific time
of the accident, the system’s performance decreases. The durability phase starts from
this moment and continues as long as the system remains at the maximum drop.
20 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

The recovery phase starts when the system performance improves and continues
until the system returns to a stable state before the accident. Recovery time can be used
as an indicator to measure the quality of the resilience system. A rail engineering
system is usually designed to have the necessary endurance against common accidents
so that its performance is not easily affected in such conditions. Nevertheless, at the
same time, this system must have sufficient resilience to adapt to a severe disturbance
without losing its function and recover quickly after the disturbance (Hollnagel, 2013).

3.6 Operation

Operations in the rail system refer to monitoring RT and human functions. Integrated
monitoring of RT systems in the last decade has focused on the conditions of wagons
on rail lines. Sharing data through wagon tracking systems provides traffic officials
opportunities better to monitor the use of infrastructure. This tracking-based moni-
toring can improve maintenance procedures by shipping operators and, in addition,
make it possible to track and trace the containers and pallets needed by shipping
customers. These monitoring activities can reduce traffic levels, improve usage time,
and improve the safety and security of cargo (Mirzabeiki & Sjöholm, 2012).
One of the most prominent aspects of implementing the information and com-
munication technologies (ICT) system is attributed to automatic rail driving. There
are significant challenges in implementing automated vehicles in the supply chain,
but such a system’s benefits are enormous. About 94% of transportation accidents
are related to human error, which can be reduced through automation. Transportation
accidents represent some of the most costly accidents in the world.
We can examine rail transportation automation from three dimensions. First, rail
automation promotes safety by reducing the role of humans as the leading cause of
accidents. Second, rail automation can reduce the economic impact by improving
safety and reducing accident rates. Third, rail automation can reduce potential delays
and improve transportation efficiency by directly monitoring rail schedules.
Automated driving systems (ADS) are among the safest and most profitable
transportation systems globally. Due to the high efficiency of these systems, several
ICT systems have been developed with different sizes and capabilities. Huge devel-
opment costs and a short asset life are deterrents to deploying ICT-based solutions in
railways (Narayanaswami & Mohan, 2013). The inability to install and run simul-
taneously various ICT systems from different providers has caused a high cost of
changing the railway infrastructure. However, there is still an excellent platform to
use more capacity in designing and implementing these systems. In addition, the
number and size of railway projects in terms of investment and turnover worldwide
have increased dramatically in recent years. Future studies should be conducted on
designing and implementing these systems in rail freight transportation in the supply
chain (Narayanaswami & Mohan, 2013). For example, a system can quickly detect
leaks in tanks carrying hazardous chemicals and notify the command control center.
Moreover, there is a problem with transporting short cargo distances – for
example, the railway line between two small towns less than 20 km away. After
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 21

loading, the train must change direction and return to the origin from another rail. In
this regard, the use of a shuttle train service – a shuttle train is a train that runs
between two round-trip points, especially if it offers frequent services on a short
route – can reduce the costs and time used in the supply chain. In this regard, Hyland
(2016) demonstrated that using this service over short distances increases the
efficiency of rail operations.
Rail system electrification and digitalization have also seen recent challenges. In
recent decades, the tendency to use electricity and replace fuels has increased. The
main reason for this increase is the less harmful environmental impacts when using
electricity compared to fossil fuels. In this regard, the use of computer models in the
design analysis of rail logistics information management systems has been considered
(Deng, 2014). The Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR)
model was used as a computer decision-making system based on data mining tech-
nology and an object-oriented data model. The findings proved that it is essential to
build the proper infrastructure before electrifying rail systems. Before modeling to
identify transportation’s technical and economic benefits, it is essential to understand
the relative functions and interrelationships of all transport nodes, logistics, electrifi-
cation and digitalization, and rail engineering. Railway electrical engineering is
valuable, and it is also a good reference and guide for future railway power supply.
It is noteworthy that digital control systems can introduce new ergonomic and
safety risk factors in the control rooms. This system can reduce the alertness and
situational awareness of the human condition and reduce human performance in
emergencies. Moreover, changing regular control stations to digital stations due to
new performance shaping factors (PSFs) causes new human errors. These PSFs
include new procedures, alerts, decision-making, and communication (Gholamizadeh
et al., 2022).
Another concern in digitization is the creation of large volumes of system infor-
mation in the supply chain that operators are forced to analyze large amounts of audio-
visual data quickly. This force significantly increases the volume of mental workload
that can lead to human error. In addition, if operators suffer from a lack of proper
situational awareness or face other issues, they may not provide an accurate and timely
response. Hence, new methods of analyzing human error related to digital control
systems need to be developed. The authors suggest that specific methods be developed
to analyze the performance errors of operators in digital rail control rooms.
In addition to the concerns mentioned above, the rail transportation of perishable
materials has also raised some problems in supply chain management. The total
loading, transporting, unloading, and selling processes should be optimal for per-
ishable foods such as meat, dairy, and agricultural products, which is possible in the
destination cities and towns. In this regard, researchers and experts have proposed
two strategies. First, rail transportation should be such that the areas of origin are as
close as possible to the destination areas. Second, appropriate equipment such as
large industrial refrigerators (for transporting meat), large isolated containers (for
transporting dairy products), and suitable packaging (for transporting vegetables and
other agricultural products from rural to urban areas) could be used (Yang & Tang,
2019). By implementing these two strategies, economic losses can be avoided.
22 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

The various studies and issues introduced in this section can form a causal
network related to the rail transportation system in the supply chain (see Fig. 8).
Managers can use this figure as a comprehensive strategic guide in future planning.
As can be seen, there are many causal relationships between the parameters of the
rail network. The effects of each of them cannot be examined without considering
other parameters. Management approaches should also be designed and
implemented based on this network. For instance, the economic management of
the rail network must be such that, in addition to solutions with a direct economic
impact, safety controls can also indirectly reduce economic costs by preventing
accidents. Alternatively, for example, the deployment of maintenance systems can
affect two factors: First, it can reduce the probability of equipment failure and,
consequently, accidents. Second, by increasing the useful life of the equipment, it
can increase the efficiency of the rail system. Consider a train carrying a chemical
that passes near a river line and then passes near a village. Safety and environmental
engineers can significantly reduce human and ecological exposure to rail accidents
by using risk assessment findings and determining safe distances to rivers and village
homes (Mohammadfam et al., 2022).

4 Future Directions

The need for rail transportation is steadily growing worldwide, especially in urban
areas with growing populations. Even in Europe, where the population is slowly
growing, forecasts suggest an increase in the share of rail transport in the supply
chain network. There is an increasing trend in other continents. The demand for
passenger and freight rail transport increases due to the rising demand for urban and
intercity transportation. Integrated rail transport, which includes rail, metro, and tram
transport, now has a larger market share in urban and regional markets, not only for
commuting and leisure but also for freight, and researchers expect this trend to
continue due to the acceleration of urbanization (Cheng, 2010).
The demand for long-distance rail freight is also increasing in many countries,
and this growth is expected to grow with the further development of the express train
network in Europe, especially in the “Belt-Road Initiative” of China (Neumann,
2021). Shortly, specialists will design high-speed commercial ships to deliver goods
needed by people and factories in a couple of hours at speeds over 300 km/h
(Rungskunroch et al., 2020). According to railway experts, the golden key to the
development of the railway network is to attract capital from private markets to
strengthen further the infrastructure of the RT worldwide. With this practice, public
budget costs reach the lowest possible, and as a result, the obtained profits are
entered from rail networks to secret bases (Lapidus et al., 2019).
It is worth noting that competition in freight delivery markets tends to drive large
corporations to use less energy, such as electrification and rail system optimization.
This competition can also change supply chains’ pricing and delivery quality
policies (Bao, 2018). From a technological point of view, rail management wel-
comes energy-efficient systems and resources. The world rail system will move
 Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . .
No emi s s i oni ng
Ma i nta i ni ng Dea l i ng wi th
GHG a nd CO
the qua l i ty of na tura l Bra nch
the frei ght di s a s ters s hi ppi ng
Di gi ti zi ng FCL

Huma n Reducti on
rel i a bi l i... i n cos ts
Opera ti ona l
Increa s i ng the
effi ci ency
Upgra ti ng RT effi ci ency
technol ogy

Eco-fri endl y Sa vi ng ti me
El ectri fyi ng

Sa vi ng the
Es ta bl i s hi ng the energy
a nti -theft s ys tem Opti mi za ti on

Ma i nta i n
s a fety a nd Coordi na ti on Devel opi ng a n
s ecuri ty of s hi pments opti mi za ti on
Depl oyi ng the a l gori tm
mei ntera nce
s ys tem
Proper
Depl oyi ng the cri s i s movement
ma na gement s ys tem pl a nni ng
Determi ni ng
Rel i a bi l i ty As s es s i ng the the s a fe
engi neeri ng qua nti ta ti ve ri s k di s ta nce

23
Fig 8 A comprehensive causal network related to the rail transportation system in the supply chain
24 K. Gholamizadeh et al.

towards the “digital railway network.” Integrated order registration system and
customer information, guidance services, and minimizing delays are expected to
be in place soon. From a safety and security engineering perspective, safety experts
are expected that a global convergence of quality will exist.
Moreover, safety and security management systems based on the best perfor-
mance and a global rail system with the maximum degree of interoperability are
other strong customer expectations (Chester & Horvath 2012; Matsika et al., 2013).
The primary innovation trend in the railway sector is based on integrated technol-
ogies, which can be seen in the digital rail network. Key customers and other rail
supply chain stakeholders expect digital communications and complete data trans-
mission via rail (Butakova et al., 2017). Today, almost all human populations have
access to new generation mobile phones. In future digital network-based applica-
tions, customers will use GPS technology to monitor the delivery of their goods and
receive information about the exact time of delivery of goods.
It seems that semi-autonomous or fully autonomous vehicle systems and their
propulsion will become the main competitors of mass-electric rail transport by 2030
if they can reach an acceptable level of safety (Lapidus et al., 2019). However,
restrictions on on-road vehicles for long-distance freight and passenger traffic will
continue. This replacement can help reduce traffic levels and air pollution and reduce
the rate of catastrophic accidents (Litman, 2007). Rail transportation will play a
significant role, especially in highly dense metropolitan areas, in preventing conges-
tion and outdoor consumption by reducing traffic and parking. Moreover, sustain-
able mobility measures, that is, local climate policies and planning to reduce carbon
and GHG emissions in cities and suburbs, will significantly shift towards rail
transport. These development strategies will increase rail services in the coming
years. Also, experts will project more flexible infrastructure with improved emer-
gency maintenance by 2050, including customer and freight information that, if
disrupted, will provide possible alternatives to achieving destinations on time.
In addition, in the field of research, we should wait for specialized studies on
various aspects affecting rail transport and the supply chain. Based on the discussion
within the different sections of this chapter, future studies can address the following
points:

• Designs of specialized engineering related to the upgrading locomotive power

supply systems
• Optimization of fossil fuel consumption to achieve maximum energy-minimum
consumption
• Optimal design of goods transfer
• Introduction of optimal systems at a reasonable cost and receiving the highest
profit
• Digitization of rail systems
• Electrification of rail systems
• Design of specialized software for tracking goods shipped from the warehouse of
origin to the warehouse of destination
Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns,. . . 25

• Introduction of specialized approaches to the safety assessment of railway sys-

tems in a dynamic framework
• Design of antitheft systems
• Introduction of mathematical algorithms for planning and scheduling
• Simulation of the consequences of hazardous material leakage and determining
safe distances
• Development of a specialized method for analyzing the performance errors of
operators in digital rail control rooms

5 Summary and Conclusion

This chapter introduces issues facing rail freight network transportation, its role in
the supply chain, the current concerns, and the future direction of rail networks
within the supply chain. The findings revealed that rail network concerns should be
addressed considering six main aspects: environment, costs, optimization, operation,
planning, and safety and resilience. Research has increased dramatically in the last
decade, especially in engineering. In this regard, experts have conducted various
investigations to address the challenges of the rail network. Designing optimal
electrical power systems, introducing planning algorithms, investigating the safety,
reliability, and environmental impacts, and introducing cost reduction and efficiency
programs are the most prominent challenges researchers considered. Briefly, engi-
neering designs are moving towards designing powerful and fast engines with low
energy consumption, developing more efficient rail networks, capturing the industry,
and including resilience potentials in system development.

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