Realize Economy of Scale with Transport Capacity 1.5 times higher than now
In future, has a plan to promote constantly the railway logistics role reinforcement with diverse support policies
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (minister Won HeeRyong, hereinafter MOLIT) and Korea Railroad Corporation (president Na Hee-Seung) announced that they will perform test run of long freight car with 50 car size, 2 times longer than KTX (777m), in the section between Obong Station and Busan Sinhang Station (402.3km).
* (Date and Time/Section)July 19, 2022 (Tue), 04:30∼/Obong Station (Departure)∼Gimcheon Station~Dongdaegu Station (Stop)∼Busan Sinhang Station(Arrival)
Although the importance of railway as an alternative means for the exceptional circumstance is emphasized gradually together with the increase of the road transportation cost by the changes in the domestic and overseas conditions such as recent high oil price, etc. it is pointed out that the structural characteristics* of railway and the additional cost by that become the obstacle in fostering railway logistics.
So, MOLIT reduces the additional cost borne by the logistic businesses through ｢Modal Shift Support Project*｣, etc. bit the high cost** compared with the transportation income of Railroad Corporation has worked as an obstacle.
Railroad Corporation performed the test run of long freight train having 80 cars with length of 1.2 km in the Busan Sinhang Station ~ Jinrye Station section (21.3 km) in 2017 but since there is no facility to operate the train over 1 km of length, it could not be commercialized.
Having commercialization potential in mind, MOLIT and Korea Railroad Corporation decided to test the long freight train having 50 cars, which is conformed to the railroad conditions in our country under the most similar condition to actual operation.
Ahead of this test, it was prepared placing the priority in safety operating Busan Sinhang ~ Jinrye (21.3 km) and Busan Sinhang ~ Gacheon (98.1 km) and checking operation safety in advance.
MOLIT is going to prepare the support plan supporting the commercialization examining the supplement of relief track for long freight train in Gyeongbu-line.
In addition, MOLIT supports all the difference between road and railway freight fare through the discussion with the budget authority to secure the substantial price competitiveness of the railway compared to the road, it has plan to promote the diversification of handling items through R&D such as piggyback*, reefer container**, etc. to convert the capital region ↔ Busan region trunk line logistics to railway.
Kang Hee-Eop, director general of railway said "It is expected that this test run would become a signal for fostering the sustainable railway logistics", and stated "Government will make all the effort to reinforce the role of railway logistics for diversification of logistic network.
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