economic and market studies

Moffatt & Nichol understands how the transportation business guides our customers in developing port-gateway strategies and infrastructure investments that tie international freight to regional and local markets. With knowledge of the business of railroads, trucking, and intermediate warehouse logistics along with experience in the design, cost-estimation, and construction of road and rail connections, Moffatt & Nichol provides a unique benefit to our clients evaluating their investment in transportation connections.

Economic and Market Studies Expertise:

• Global macro-economic analysis and freight demand
• Nation-specific and regional market analysis
• Economic evaluations of competitive advantage
• Cargo diversion and elasticity studies
• Business case studies
• Financial pro-forma development
• Financial feasibility and bonding capacity studies
• Strategic assessments and developments
• Investment grade commercial due diligence
• Logistic services planning and costing
• Management and organization studies
• Evaluation of leasing alternatives
• Economic impact analysis
• Private-benefit estimation
• Public-benefit estimation
• Cost-benefit evaluation
• Terminal productivity and operations analysis
• Shipping line operations

engineering services

Moffatt & Nichol guides clients through the process of integrating rail opportunities to benefit their business strategies. The firm’s experienced team of rail professionals offers a comprehensive overview, providing breadth of vision from planning through design to project completion. Unique to the market, we incorporate our in-house expertise with our extensive rail background in the areas of economic feasibility and logistics assessment; rail planning; capacity modeling, logistical simulations and design of intermodal terminal facilities; corridor safety; maintenance; structural and mechanical engineering; inspection and rehabilitation; signalization; and construction administration for passenger and transit lines nationwide. As a vertically integrated firm, we measure client needs using operations analysis and facility build-out. This business structure allows us to move a project through environmental and permitting in close coordination with the design and construction approval process.

Our design experience includes mainline, secondary track and yard tracks for Class 1 railroads, as well as regional and short line operators. This experience extends beyond the tracks to maintenance and support facilities, industrial access, stations, as well as intermodal facilities. Our expertise in port planning and design together with our rail experience has delivered state-of-the-art on-dock and near-dock intermodal facilities for port authorities, terminal operators and Class 1 railroads, including the design of new high-capacity Rail Mounted Gantry facilities.

freight

Railroads place safety as the top priority when it comes to moving goods. Moffatt & Nichol requires safety to be an integral part of any project from design to implementation. Our rail professionals maintain Roadway Worker Safety training and all E-Rail credentials. As a firm, Moffatt & Nichol is engaged in various railroad associations to keep current with changes in the freight industry; to stay up-to-date on the latest technological advances; and to provide expertise on the most innovative ideas. This training and certification gives our engineers a connection to the railroad industry that allows them to better understand our clients’ present and future needs.

We understand that railroads make decisions based on cost considerations. Rail designs have an economic impact and may need further evaluation of the life-cycle benefit-cost ratio. Moffatt & Nichol brings added capabilities in measuring total cost of ownership. It is imperative that a balance be found between initial capital costs and long-term benefit life cycle costs. Moffatt & Nichol recognizes the need to avoid or minimize interruptions to existing traffic schedules in the development of any maintenance or capacity expansion project.

high speed rail

Our established relationships with national, state, and local government agencies; with Class 1 and shortline railroads; with logistics providers; and with national and local passenger rail agencies strengthen our ability to complete high-speed rail projects for clients nationwide. Moffatt & Nichol provides this growth sector with our expertise in planning and designing infrastructure needed to support high-speed intermodal service or high-speed passenger service.

Coordinating efforts between our various rail services expedites the planning process and deliver scheduled results. This approach works with projects for existing railroad operations to identify opportunities for speed improvements, operating efficiencies, and possible expansion of current systems.

From initial economic feasibility studies through the environmental approval process to the infrastructure planning, design, and construction administration, Moffatt & Nichol offers clients comprehensive services for all facets of project design and development.

inspection and rehabilitation

Moffatt & Nichol performs underwater and above-water inspections, as well as design services for every aspect of rail infrastructure. Unique in the industry, we provide special “engineering eye” expertise for the inspection of bridges and other engineered structures by utilizing registered engineers and engineer-divers, who understand the structural significance of observed conditions. These experts compile reports from collected data, and provide effective engineered solutions by being on the ground or in the water from the beginning. We also provide design services on facilities such as stations and terminal facilities, retaining walls, and slope stability structures.

The firm has the capability to mobilize multiple crews to inspect rail infrastructure and provide clients detailed inspection reports, and if necessary, can be completed within a compressed schedule. Detailed inspection findings include repairs and cost estimates, replacement recommendations, and any necessary infrastructure improvements including plans showing the locations of recommended repairs and layouts. In addition, we can provide service life modeling using STADIUM® to extend the service life of existing marine structures using a quantitative modeling methodology.

intercity passenger service

On-time performance, as well as passenger safety and comfort are the hallmarks of successful intercity passenger rail service. Moffatt & Nichol provides expertise in the planning and design of the infrastructure needed to provide and improve on-time performance and rider satisfaction. Our proven relationships with national and local government agencies, with Class 1 and shortline railroads, and with national and local passenger rail agencies heightens our clients ability to provide successful intercity passenger service or enhance existing service.

Our team views intercity passenger rail service as an optimization of equipment and infrastructure. This approach identifies the equipment and infrastructure costs associated with improving on-time performance and passenger comfort. We work closely with our clients to optimize the operational performance and passenger comfort within budgetary limits to provide cost-effective improvements.

From the economic feasibility studies through the environmental approval process and infrastructure assessments to the infrastructure planning, design, and construction administration, Moffatt & Nichol has the experienced professionals to make intercity passenger rail service a success.

maintenance and mechanical

Total preventative maintenance for rail facilities without disrupting day-to-day operations is crucial to maintaining carriers’ schedules. The firm’s rail team has aided rail operators, public agencies, port operators and shippers in the analysis, planning, and maintenance programs with their facilities. To provide effective solutions to sourcing rail services, we have formed strategic alliances with suppliers and service providers unrivaled in the industry.

In addition to providing clients with track maintenance programs, our expertise includes:

• Signal diagnostic and troubleshooting
• Hydraulic design
• Environmental mitigation issues
• Design of special track work items
• Design of special tie fasteners and pads
• Grade crossing studies

Moffatt & Nichol’s rail capabilities integrate mechanical services with the firm’s infrastructure and planning practices. We provide engineering reports and develop recommendations for methods to implement corrective action, immediate and program maintenance, as well as test instructions. The firm also develops detailed mechanical drawings and oversees equipment reconstruction and rehabilitation projects and performs mechanical inspection and testing.

Our rail professionals serve the client as an extension of their existing maintenance program. Through strategic alliances with equipment testing and maintenance companies, Moffatt & Nichol provides unparalleled solutions to locomotive and railcar rebuild programs including research into new technologies to incorporate in rolling stock. The firm also maintains document management systems including organizing maintenance records and developing parts specifications.

program management

Moffatt & Nichol’s team takes our clients vision and guides them through developing, implementing, and overseeing a successful program in operation. Unique in the industry, we offer in-house expertise in the areas of economics and market studies, environmental permitting, engineering services, structures, inspection and rehabilitation, signalization, and mechanical services.

The firm’s existing relationships with national and local government agencies, with Class 1 and shortline railroads, and with national and local passenger rail agencies assist our clients in coordinating their program approvals. We also have well-established relationships with specialty consultants that bring added value and assure a successful project completion.

Moffatt & Nichol clients have a single point of contact to eliminate multiple communication paths while providing access to the recognized experts in their respective fields. We provide innovative, integrated solutions to position our clients for the successful future of rail.

signalization

Safety is never more important than where the public and the railroad meet—the at-grade crossing. Moffatt & Nichol has provided signal parameters for all levels of railroad service, as well as innovative engineering methods for signalization of at-grade crossings that have decreased incidents resulting from vehicle and train collisions.

Moffatt & Nichol’s signalization studies include:

• Traffic separation
• Quiet zone
• Corridor safety zone
• Passive signage
• Inventory
• Rail-highway modeling
• Rail operations analysis

The firm continually engages in projects requiring determination of the best suited crossing protection. Subject projects include rail corridor reactivations, corridor safety projects, station projects, rail realignments, DOT Transportation Improvement Programs, traffic impact studies, rail operations analysis, and transit studies. Each at-grade crossing is different from every other crossing in the country and one application does not fit all. Our team has the experience and the expertise to determine the best alternatives to provide the greatest protection for any at-grade crossing condition.

In addition to performing signal diagnostic and troubleshooting faulty crossing signals, the rail team can perform annual and monthly FRA signal inspections, as well as FRA Relay and Cable testing, which includes documentation required at the federal and state levels.

structures

Moffatt & Nichol’s structural engineering background plays a key role in the development of rail corridors, as well as improving the flow of goods by consolidation of at-grade crossings. The firm provides services as the prime designer or auxiliary services for grade separation projects, as well as railroad bridge structures and retaining structures for seismic mitigation measures.

We have worked with national, state, and local government agencies, as well as Class 1 railroads and passenger train agencies to facilitate local street realignments, closures, intersection modifications, construction of traffic detours, temporary railroad detours (shoofly’s), utility relocations, and major storm drainage improvements. Our focus is to mitigate adverse impacts to rail operations, while accommodating the grade separation.

RIMS (rail inventory management system)

RIMS is a cloud service that allows railroad inventory managers to perform their job faster and easier. The 2008 Rail Safety Improvement Act has mandated that the national inventory database be updated yearly. RIMS personnel are experts in the highway-rail crossing safety industry and designed RIMS from the ground up to meet specific crossing safety program requirements.

RIMS is more than a technological platform, it’s the experts behind it. We take on the task of making sure your data makes its way into the national database. As a cloud service, RIMS can be accessed from anywhere. At your desk, at a hotel, at home, on your cellphone, in the field, on an iPad. There is even limited access when operating in offline mode. Wherever you go, RIMS can go with you. With RIMS, you’ll never have to print inventory related information again. Save time and money by reducing the amount of paperwork.

Features:

• Comply with the 2008 RSIA
• Let us submit your data to the FRA
• Hosted in the cloud, no server maintenance headaches
• Perform data entry on most internet enabled devices
• Print inventory forms with changes marked up
• Download your data at any time in many formats
• Rate crossings using hazard index functions
• You control who has access to your data
• Share data input between state and railroad entities