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ISUFT 2002: 3rd International Symposium on Underground Freight Transportation by Capsule Pipelines and Other Tube/Tunnel Systems: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 19./20. Sept. 2002

Freight transportation in Germany as well as in nearly all countries and metropolises means road traffic. Reaching the upper capacity limit leads to serious consequences: Traffic jam induced costs and frictions, ecological consequences (noise, pollution, consumption of space and energy, etc.).

Flexible, quick and reliable distribution in traffic sensitive conurbation needs transportation systems being independent of but nevertheless interactive with the existing infrastructure: Automatic tube/tunnel transportation systems provide economical delivery and especially lasting solutions.

Diverse projects have been developed in the last years. The ISUFT 2002 will be a place to present recent developments and interdisciplinary discussion of technical, economical, and legal possibilities, opportunities, and challenges.

Yours very sincerely, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dietrich Stein.

Reduction of goods traffic on the streets - this is a primary aim of the traffic policy of our state. A very promising attempt to achieve this is offered by "CargoCap", a system of underground pipelines similar to pneumatic dispatch systems. "CargoCap" makes possible, the automatically controlled underground transport of goods. The objective is to supplement and partly replace existing traffic systems.

The advantages are obvious. There would not only be fewer goods vehicles on the roads, but also the environment would benefit by utilization of a low-pollution propulsion technique. The new means of conveyance makes goods transport more reliable as it is independent of above-ground traffic jams.

At the Ruhr-University Bochum the interdisciplinary project group "Underground Transport and Supply Systems" has been working on the technical implementation of the "CargoCap" concept since 1998. The theoretical research and development work is almost complete so that a start can now be made with putting the concept into practice. The government of our federal state supports the forthcoming pilot-testing of the project.

Against this background a better venue could hardly have been chosen for the ISUFT 2002 congress. I wish all participants thought-provoking lectures and discussions and a pleasant stay in the heart of the Ruhr-region.

Minister President of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Final Program ISUFT 2002

Thursday, September 19th

Welcome / Opening congress - Prof. Dr. D. Petzina, Rektor der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Staatssekretär H. Krebs, Ministerium für Schule Wissenschaft und Forschung NRW, Prof.Dr.-Ing.D.Stein, Congress Chairman.

Freight Transport by Underground Pipelines: Past, Present and Future

Henry Liu, Capsule Pipeline Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.

In 1988, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published a Task Committee Report on Freight Pipeline, discussing in detail the current status and anticipated future use of freight pipelines (i.e., pipelines that transport solids including finished products and boxes or crates). The writer was the chairman who led the preparation of the ASCE report. This paper draws information not only from the ASCE report but also from most recent developments such as information included in the proceedings of the 1st and 2nd ISUFT.

Freight pipelines include three general types: slurry pipeline, pneumatic pipeline and capsule pipelines. Each general type contains some subtypes. For instance, slurry pipeline can be either fine slurry pipeline or coarse slurry pipeline; pneumatic pipeline can be either dilute-phase or dense-phase transport, and capsule pipeline includes pneumatic capsule pipeline, hydraulic capsule pipeline and coal log pipeline. They all have different history, different characteristics, different applications, different current status, and different future. They will be individually described and discussed in this paper.

Slurry pipelines have been used extensively for over 100 years in mining including long-distance transport of coal and other minerals. Future increased use of slurry pipelines is expected for transporting sludges from water and sewage treatment plants, and other hazardous wastes. Pneumatic pipelines also have over 100 years of history for transporting hundreds of different types of cargoes over short distances. It is now used increasingly for transporting municipal solid wastes. Hydraulic capsule pipeline (HCP) has a shorter history and has not yet been used commercially. However, recent advancement in HCP technology has made it close to commercial use. Its most promising future applications appears to be for coarse minerals, construction materials and agricultural products, especially grain. Pneumatic capsule pipeline (PCP) of relatively small diameter and short length have been used widely and successfully for transporting mail and parcels, bank documents, medicine supplies, etc. Larger and longer lines of PCP have found use in Japan and the Republic of Georgia. At present, researchers in the United States are studying the use of an advanced system of PCP powered by electromagnetic capsule pumps, such as linear-induction or linear-synchronous motors. Being able to transport large amounts of cargoes of any type, such advanced PCP systems driven by electromagnetic pumps have strong potential for intercity freight transport, competing with trucks, and to a lesser degree, with trains.

Gütertransport durch unterirdische Rohrleitungen: Entwicklungsstand der Tube Systeme

Stein, Dietrich (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) - (missing).

Underground freight transport systems as city logistics measures

Eiichi Taniguchi, Department of Civil Engineering, Kyoto University, Japan

This paper presents concepts of underground freight transport systems as city logistics measures. As well overview and review of the development of underground freight transport systems in Japan will be addressed.

The underground freight transport systems play a very important role towards city logistics, since the systems can provide efficient and environment friendly logistics systems. However, they have not been deployed in actual cities mainly because of the financial and organisational problems.

We need to consider the following point: (a) how we can combine the new systems with the existing systems, (b) how we can facilitate freight systems in automated highway systems including passenger cars, (c) how we can overcome the huge initial investment for the new systems and (d) how we can think of the new systems in conjunction with e-logistics. This paper will try to discuss these issues on underground freight transport systems as city logistics measures.

"City logistics is the process for totally optimising the logistics and transport activities by private companies with the support of advanced information systems in urban areas considering the traffic environment, its congestion, safety and energy savings within the framework of a market economy" (Taniguchi et al, 2001) We need innovative and efficient freight transport systems to achieve city logistics by solving difficult problems including the congestion, environment and safety issues. Underground freight transport systems should be a good answer to cope with these challenging problems. Therefore, it is significant to re-think the underground freight transport systems in light of recent advances in research on city logistics and urban freight transport.

REFERENCE
Taniguchi, E., R. G. Thompson, T. Yamada, R. van Duin, City Logistics - Network modelling and intelligent transport system, Pergamon, Oxford, 2001.

The Potential of Metro Systems for City Logistics

B.A. Pielage, TU Delft, Netherlands; J.C. Rijsenbrij, TU Delft, Netherlands

This paper on the potential of metro systems for city logistics discusses the available transport capacity of metro systems and the potential to carry freight. The possible integration of this underground system into the city logistics infrastructure will be presented considering different concepts for metro-trains and terminals. The paper finishes with some critical succes-factors for the application of the metro in city logistics.

Houston Projects 2000 and 2001-Research Leading to the Design of a Palletized Cargo Consolidation and Distribution ULS for Houston, Texas

A.P. James, Texas A&M University, U.S.A.; F. Sanders, TU Delft, Netherlands; G. Arends, TU Delft, Netherlands.

Over the last few years, a cooperative transportation research effort between Texas A&M University (TAMU), US, and the Technical University Delft (TUD), the Netherlands, has produced a continuing and developing study of transportation issues and problems in the Galveston Bay (Houston) area of Texas. About 17 million people live within a radius of 300 miles (480 kilometers) of Houston. The area consequently faces the various types of pollution and the severe traffic congestion usually associated with such a populated area. In fact, Houston's problems are among the most severe of any US metropolitan center--its container port is the largest such facility on the Gulf of Mexico, and the landside transport of containerized cargo there is currently achieved almost exclusively by truck, contributing greatly to the area's traffic problems.

Growth will render traffic flows and pollution untenable unless alternatives to current transportation systems are developed. The 2000 TUD research team surveyed overall cargo transportation problems in the area around Houston and presented several alternatives to address these problems. In 2001, a second research team from TUD visited the area to perform a study suggested by one aspect of the previous team's recommendations, the subject being the furtherance of research into the feasibility of an underground logistics system (ULS) for transporting containerized cargo within the City of Houston. The 2001 study developed a provisional design and route for such a network and looked at methods for funding the project. This report summarizes the major findings of the combined research efforts to this point and examines potential further research efforts for the area. The authors directed the research efforts of both teams.

A Feasibility Study of the Application of Hydraulic Buoyant Capsule to a power-Free Delivery System of Goods in a Building

Yuji Tomita, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan; Teruyuki Iwasaka, Youich Utazu, Keiji Shinohara, Meada Corporation, Japan; Toshio Kuraishi, Meada Seisakusho Co, Ltd. Japan.

A power-free delivery system of goods in a building is proposed. Goods are loaded in a capsule at the bottom dispatch station of the building and are delivered to the vertically upward destination in respective floor through a hydraulic capsule pipeline by using buoyant force, and using gravitational force through a pneumatic capsule pipeline to the dispatch station collects the used capsules. It is possible to add various pipeline elements such as diverters, valves and bends for the flexible delivery of goods. A numerical model of the buoyant capsule is presented for the vertical upward hydraulic pipeline and the factors, which affect on the capsule motion, are discussed. The model is unsteady and one-dimensional. The capsule is cylindrical. The calculation of water flow is based on the method of characteristics and the water flow through the clearance between pipe wall and capsule is calculated as well. The capsule rapidly attains a constant velocity for a given geometry of pipe and capsule. The capsule velocity depends on the specific gravity of capsule, diameter ratio between the pipe and the capsule. To validate the numerical model of buoyant capsule, a small-scale experiment is carried out.

The Economic and Technical Feasibility of an Underground Freight Pipeline in Texas

Stephen Roop, Texas Transportation Institute, U.S.A.; Curtis Morgan, Texas Transportation Institute, U.S.A.; David Bierling, Texas Transportation Institute, U.S.A.; Les Olson, Texas Transportation Institute, U.S.A.; Jeffera Warner, Texas Transportation Institute, U.S.A.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has accelerated the rate of trade 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 landside 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, most notably Interstate 35, which runs south from Dallas, Texas to the border with Mexico at Laredo, Texas. It costs the state large sums of money to maintain the condition of the affected roadways and additional social costs related to safety, air quality, and congestion are creating conditions conducive to innovative alternatives to over-the-road transport. The current research is aimed at determining whether non-traditional systems can alleviate the congestion and wear problem by shifting truck-borne goods to an alternative mode. Freight-conveying pipelines are being evaluated in this context. This paper addresses key technical issues associated with aerodynamics, vehicle design, energy consumption and availability, trucking logistics, Texas geology, system capacity, and terminal design. The paper 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.

Pneumatic Tube Systems - through big pipes into the future

Martin Hörtig, (Hörtig Rohrpost, Bayreuth) - (missing).

Introduction of a new family of small intermodal boxes (small containers) A challenge in European freight transport

Johan Wichser, IVT ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Existing intermodal transport units - ISO containers and swapbodies - responds to 1/2 to 1/1 full truck loading and a assembling and distribution process is needed, when partial loading sizes -a growing market with more and more importance in freight transport -, will be transported in intermodal transport chains. To reduce handling costs and -time as well as to reduce the number of vans on urban roads, was created a proposal to standardise a European small container family in the frame of COST 339.

Boxes should respond to 1/4 or 1/2 of a swapbody class C with a length of 7.45. Within small loading sizes can be transported in intermodal transport chains. On rail and vessels small containers can be coupled to swapbodies. 1/4 boxes are useful for transportation in smaller tube systems.

Spatial impacts of underground logistics

Hugo Priemus, TU Delft, Netherlands

One of the most persistent arguments to introduce underground logistics is a lack of space. This suggests that there is a close relation between under­ground freight transportation, capsule pipelines, tube and tunnel systems on the one hand and spatial policies on the other hand. Nevertheless we observe a lack of awareness among spatial planners about the impacts of underground logistics on spatial planning. In this paper we elaborate the opportunities for spatial planning with two illustrations.

(1) The spatial challenges of underground urban freight transportation (on an urban and regional scale) and (2) The spatial challenges of the system of underground pipelines for the transportation of mainly oil and oil derivates in the Netherlands (on a national level).

We give an overview of the network configuration of urban freight transport, developed in a number of local studies in the Netherlands, and indicate the synergy which is needed between underground network systems and the spatial configuration of traditional traffic infrastructure and real estate development. If an underground urban freight transport system is designed as a stand-alone system, we know pretty sure that the advantages of such a system will not be captured. The same applies for the national pipelines network for oil and oil derivates which is strongly related to the location of the two Dutch mainports: the Rotterdam harbour including a strong chemical headquarter, and Amsterdam-Schiphol airport, which is a heavy consumer of kerosine. At the national level as well, the pipelines system has to be integrated into a wider spatial context which relates underground and surface developments.

Keywords: urban freight transportation, underground logistics, pipelines network, spatial planning.

What is the optimum tube diameter? A difficult answer to a very simple question!

Johan Visser, Research Institute Otb, Netherlands; Jan Katgerman, RUPS Adviseurs, Netherlands

Although feasibility studies show that underground freight transport project can be economic viable, the real and apparent barriers to implementing new systems are difficult to overcome. These barriers correlate very strongly to the financial risks and thus the financial feasibility of underground freight transport. In this paper, we focus on the optimal tube diameter to start with from a feasibility point of view? Therefore, we start to define the parameters, which are dominant in financial feasibility studies. The following parameters are critical:

The challenge is now to define the optimal combination of market segment and transport system under the right exogenous conditions.

We will not deal with exogenous conditions. Contrasting the parameters of the transport system with those of the markets can be an illuminating exercise. On the one hand, we see a goal of minimizing investment costs; on the other, a goal maximizing revenues. If we want to minimise the investment costs, then:

This limits the possible application areas to large diameter systems at short distances or small diameter systems at longer distances, thus avoiding high investment costs and long construction periods

If we want to maximise revenues, the following extremes are possible:

High-volume deliveries can be profitable as long as the transport distances are small. But because of the high investment costs, long distances lead to a low profitability.

Small-volume deliveries, such as parcel deliveries can be profitable because of the low investment costs and the high prices. On the other hand, these systems can have problems maintaining a steady utilisation of the system.

Capsule pipeline systems are generally smaller than 1.3 metres, have the shape of a capsule and have no specific guidance systems, like a rail or pavement. Other underground transport systems make use of larger pipelines or tunnels, have a different shape from the capsules, and have some sort of guidance system. Capsule pipeline systems have a small pipeline diameter. Their field of application can be found in the transportation of homogenous goods, frequently only one type of good, at relatively low speeds and over short distance. On the other hand, the larger diameter systems are proposed for transportation of heterogeneous goods at higher speeds and longer distances.

The following applications can be suggested:

  1. In urban areas, for the purpose of provisioning post offices, retail trade, catering establishments, office, and consumers.
  2. Inside or between industrial complexes, logistical centres, and multi-modal terminals, such as airport and harbour complexes.
  3. Collection or long distance transport of agricultural products, ore and solid waste.
  4. Hinterland or cross-country transportation of maritime containers.

In almost all cases, feasibility studies showed that the projects were economically viable with or without some financial support from the government. All projects require a high investment in infrastructure. Project information shows that the proposed trajectory length has a considerable influence on the investment costs. In particular, the projects in application areas one and four show large trajectory lengths. In particular, the projects in application area four combine this with a large tube diameter, a doubly costly combination. From an economic feasibility point of view, application areas two and three are promising but require further investigation.

While it makes some sense to develop standards, it would be difficult to develop a single standard for all the different underground freight transport systems and different application areas; rather a set of standards for each type of application may be more appropriate. Finally, it will be worthwhile, when there is some consensus on the type of transport technology to be used, to consider standards for the tunnel or pipeline infrastructure.

Friday, September 20th

Design of a 1-Meter Tubular Linear Induction Motor (TLIM) for a Pneumatic Capsule Pipeline (PCP) System

Robert M. O'Connell, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.; Wisuwat Plodpradista, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.

Pneumatic capsule pipeline (PCP) systems are being used for freight transportation in selected areas. Smaller PCP systems have found increased use in drive-in banks, hospitals, and airports. Larger systems are used in mining and tunneling operations. However, widespread use of large PCP systems is currently limited because systems in place have prohibitively low throughput rates due to the presence of blowers in the booster stations and the associated time-consuming capsule loading/unloading systems. One solution to this drawback is to replace the blowers with non-intrusive tubular linear induction motors (TLIMs.) The TLIM acting as a pump allows the capsules free passage through the pump, thereby increasing the system throughput rates.

In this paper we describe the design and analysis of a 1-meter diameter, 50-meter long TLIM for a 10-kilometer long section of a PCP with a 20% linefill rate. The TLIM consists of a number of approximately 0.5-meter long, identical three-phase, wye-connected TLIM stator units. The capsules, which comprise the rotor of the TLIM, are assumed to be 4 meters long, to weigh 2,000 kilograms (including loads), and to accelerate to a speed of 15.5 m/s in the TLIM and to run at a steady-state speed of 10 m/s in the pipe. The important air-gap of the TLIM, which is the clearance between the outer wall of the capsule and the inner wall of the pipe, is assumed to be 1 cm.

Given the above-stated assumptions for the PCP system, the appropriate fluid mechanics equations were used to determine the steady-state or rated values of capsule speed inside the TLIM and the associated capsule thrust. These values were then used with the appropriate set of TLIM stator design equations to determine the specific design parameters of four slightly different TLIM stator units. Then, the equivalent circuit model was used to analyze the performance of the designed TLIMs.

The paper will present details on the above-described TLIM design and analysis. The results will show that the designed PCP-TLIM system can efficiently transport freight at competitive throughput rates. Thus, PCP-TLIM systems should make it possible to transport freight at much greater throughput rates than is possible with currently used systems.

Cost Analysis of Freight Transport by a LIM-Driven Pneumatic Capsule Pipeline

Henry Liu, Capsule Pipeline Research Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.; Sanai Kosugi, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd., Japan; Alan Foster, FORCE Engineering, Ltd., England; Amanda Lee, Department of Civil & environmental Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.

A cost analysis is being conducted for a pneumatic capsule pipeline (PCP) system driven by linear induction motors (LIMs). The PCP analyzed is a 10 km length steel pipeline having an inner diameter of 1.04 m. The LIM's bore (inner diameter) is 1.0 m, and the length of the LIMs used for the system has a total length of 50 m. Dual pipes are used-one to send the cargo-laden capsules to destination, and the other to return the empty capsules. Five hundred (500) capsules are used in each line. This corresponds to a linefill rate of 20%. The capsule diameter is 0.98 m, the capsule length is 4 m, and each empty capsule weighs about 1500 kg. The capsules move in the pipe at 10 m/s, and their speed in the LIM is 15.53 m/s. Each capsule has two end disks of 0.99 m diameter.

Based on the foregoing design, the capital cost and the annual operation/maintenance costs of the system are evaluated. A life-cycle cost analysis is performed to determine the total life-cycle cost of the system for 30 years. Then the annualized cost is determined and divided by the throughput (capacity) of cargoes transported by this pipeline system. The result gives the unit cost of freight transported by this PCP system in $/tonne/100 km. It is then compared to the unit cost of freight transport by truck and train in the United States. The result shows the cost-competitiveness of future PCP systems based on LIMs as compared to truck and train in the United States.

The study shows how a rigorous analysis can be made to assess the cost competitiveness of any new pipeline or tube/tunnel system for underground freight transport.

Analytical Method for Running Posture of Cap-sule Vehicle

Kosugi, Sanai; Okamoto,Masanobu; Fukunaga,Takeshi; Igarashi,Tomoko (Sumitomo Metal Industrie, JAPAN) - (missing)

CargoCap - Fahrzeugtechnik und neue Weichenkonstruktion

Wagner, Gerhard; Hohaus, Lutz (Ruhr-Universität Bochum) - (missing)

CargoCap - Speed-Sensorless Induction Motor Drive System for Underground Pipeline Capsule Transportation

Andreas Steimel, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany; Marcus Grimmig, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany

At Ruhr-University Bochum an innovative concept of transportation of mixed cargo through subterranean pipelines with driverless, automatically and individually controlled capsules - CargoCap - is under development. From the mechanical specifications as masses, speed, acceleration and resistance the tractive/braking effort vs. speed diagram is deduced which serves as basis for the layout of the electrical drive.

For maximum reliability four squirrel-cage induction motors fed by two voltage-source IGBT inverters have been selected as main drive, representing the state-of-the-art of Light Rail vehicle drives.

For the control of the variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) inverter the so-called Indirect Stator-Quantities Control based on stator-flux orientation is presented, which attains high torque dynamics as well as it is extremely robust against supply voltage disturbations.

From the aspects of cost, reliability and drive volume it is recommended to dispense with speed sensors in the motors. A new scheme to estimate the speed with high accuracy only from motor quantities already available in the control is described. It enables speed estimation even in the case of infinitely slow changes between driving and braking at extremely low speeds.

Role of Trenchless Technology in Growth of Automatic Underground Transportation Systems

Mohammad Najafi, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia, U.S.A.

An automatic underground transportation system includes slurry pipelines, pneumatic pipelines and capsule pipelines. Slurry pipelines and pneumatic pipelines have been used extensively in the past and now are being increasingly used. Recent advancement in hydraulic capsule pipeline (HCP) has made it close to commercial use. Trenchless technology methods include all the methods of pipeline installation and renewal with minimum or no disruption of surface and subsurface, and therefore, are crucial for construction and growth of new automated underground transportation systems in future. The potential trenchless technology methods include, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), auger boring (AB), pipe ramming (PR), and microtunneling (MT). These methods have inherent advantages of trenchless technology which includes minimizing the need to disturb existing environment, traffic, or congested working areas. They also reduce the need for new routing and require less exposed working areas, therefore, are safer for both workers and the general public. These methods can also be used for obstacle crossing, where regular open-cut methods are not suitable or cost-effective. The scope of this paper includes an overview of capabilities and limitations of above trenchless methods, and their potential and specific applications for construction of automated underground transportation systems. The objective of this paper is to quantify the benefits of these methods and describe their importance for the growth of such transportation systems.

CargoCap - Trassenführung und Bauverfahren

Stein, Robert (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stein & Partner, Bochum) - (missing)

MULTI-ATTRIBUTE DECISION MAKING WITH EMBEDDED RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE FREIGHT PIPEPLINE SYSTEM

Rocky C. Shih, University of Texas at San Antonio, U.S.A.; G. Alberto Arroyo, University of Texas at San Antonio, U.S.A.

This paper is presenting a Multi-attribute Decision Making with Risks incorperated as a set of preferentially independent attributes for the freight pipeline transportation system for the relief of congestion along Urban corridors. The associated engineering and economic feasibility has been studied in detail. The concept of hauling freight in capsules through pipelines is treated as a new and reliable alternative to congesting highways. This paper will center on the decision analysis based on multi-attribute utility assessment incorporating costs, lead time, human safety, environmental and economic risks associated with this highly innovative mode of transportation.

Risk is defined as the function of the frequency for occurrence of an adverse event and its hazardous consequences. Risk is calculated by the magnitude of hazardous consequences of an event and by the magnitude of the probable frequency of the event occurring. This principle is used to construct a model of well-defined categories for both event frequency and hazardous consequences.

The approach to the risk assessment of tube freight transport concept involves the following phases:

  1. Safety, environmental, and economic issues identification
  2. Scenario construction
  3. Event tree and fault tree risk analysis
  4. Risk estimation
  5. Risk acceptability

The risk acceptability is determined based on the comparison of the estimated risk versus the risk referent which is derived from Revealed Preference concept.

The risk referent has incorporated the following considerations:

Using multi-attribute utility assessment, the optimal design for the Freight Pipeline Transportation System is determined while the risks are incorporated as independent attributes together with the concerns of costs, lead time, and environmental effects. It is found that the Freight Pipeline System consisting of low pressure sustaining pipe, guided rails, and linear induction motor will be the most cost-effective design for the fright transport. Also, it is determined that the Freight Pipeline System is superior to all other alternatives of surface freight transportation systems, including highway, railway and designated roadway lanes or waterways.

CargoCap - A legal framework of the underground transport of piece goods

Martin Burgi, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany; Angeliki Makri, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany

The underground transport system CargoCap breaks also from a legal point of view new ground. Since there has never been such a mean of transport before there does not exist any specific legal regulation in Germany.

That the future will bring the development of an appropriate law cannot be foreseen yet, but one cannot rule out the possibility either. The development of the railway for example, which also used to be an absolutely new way of transport, shows that innovative ideas can find a specific legal embodiment. In the case of the railway this is the "General Railway Law". The very first legislation in this area was the "Law of the railway undertakings" also called the "Prussian Railway Law" in the year 1838, which moreover led the way. This law came into force three years after the very first railway line was opened between Nürnberg and Fürth on the 7th of December in 1835. One can see that the Prussian legislator has recognised quite early the appropriateness if not the necessity of a general regulation.[1]

But such a legislation for CargoCap is still very much in the future. Therefore it is necessary to take the existing legal norms into consideration when it comes to the examination of the legal questions.

In the following an overview of the relevant legal aspects shall be given, as there are:

[1] Püttner, in: Grupp/Ronellfitsch (ed.), Planung - Recht - Rechtsschutz, Festschrift für Blümel, Berlin 1999, S. 468.

CargoCap - Economic Feasibility

Michael Kersting, RUFIS Germany; Paul Klemmer, RUFIS Germany

In Germany the discussion of financing traffic infrastructure is increasingly dominated by the aspects of private provision and operation of traffic systems. In the context of this discussion the major question for the CargoCap system is whether the expected returns from the transportation services are sufficient to make an investment profitable.

The CargoCap system was designed for the transportation of selected goods in congested areas. It will secure the accessibility of these regions for merchandise traffic in spite of a prospective increase in road traffic and, consequently, in road congestion. Therefore, the economic feasibility study focuses on the needs of manufacturing, trade, and logistics. The integration of the regional CargoCap system into the long-distance traffic infrastructure is provided for.

The calculation of private investment indicates that even the basic line under consideration could be run profitably. The calculation takes into account expected traffic volume, estimated on the basis of available data on road haulage, and the present level of fees. If, additionally, the higher reliability of transportation and the increasing revenues after an expansion of the network are taken into consideration a steadily growing traffic network can be expected.

High investment costs and major capital expenditure could, however, prove to be problematic. Therefore, public funding will be necessary to finance the first sections of the line. Possible relief of local traffic infrastructure, reduction of the environmental externalities of road traffic, and the possibility of obtaining income by exporting this traffic system to other congested areas are important arguments for such a public funding.

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