Virtual simulation of statewide intermodal freight traffic

While freight transportation needs are growing, there is a concern that planning tools available today will be insufficient to provide a systemwide view that is needed to examine all modes of transportation, including intermodal. Many existing tools are either mode oriented or too microscopic in scope. No comprehensive tool considers the level of performance of the total system-an important consideration because of the many interdependencies between resources. In some cases, optimizing just a particular component of the transportation network could result in sub-optimization of the entire transportation system. A prototype Virtual Intermodal Transportation System (VITS) is presented; it simulates the movement of freight via all modes on a statewide level. Detailed submodels can be designed to enable planners to analyze the overall impact of decisions made on critical transportation resources such as ports and their connectors. The general processes of building the VITS prototype, the results from a hypothetical case study, and potential improvements to the methodology are also discussed.