Rail-road intermodal transport achieves its best performances when rail connections are performed with direct trains between two terminals. When the freight volume is not strong enough to build a supply according to this principle, the hub-and-spoke organisation gives interesting results. From each terminal, the wagons are sent by direct trains (the spokes) to a marshalling yard (the hub), common to the whole terminal network. There, the wagons are sorted and grouped into new direct trains sent to their destination. This organisation is new for the railway. The dissection of an intermodal hub-and-spoke network shows how is built and how is managed such a supply. It also gives an illustration of the performances that can be achieved by a particular network and draws few economical principles on which lies their competitiveness. (A)
Abstract