Reliability of the intermodal transport network under disrupted conditions in the rail freight transport

Practical application of the idea of sustainable freight transport requires a significant development of the intermodal transport network in which rail transport plays an important role. It is indicated as an ecological, safe, fast and economic type of freight transport. However, an important matter conditioning its development and significance is the reliability of freight flows. In the literature research, there is a lack of comprehensive recognition of dependencies between the reliability of flows in intermodal network of rail transport and the disruptions and characteristics of the network. Therefore, the authors of the paper adopted an analysis of the impact of disruptions in freight flows in rail transport on the reliability of these flows. The paper assumes that the reliability of freight flows in rail transport is measured by the number of cancelled trains and an average delay time of trains. At the same time, it was also assumed that the impact of disruptions on the reliability of flows depends on the characteristics of the network itself. In conducted empirical research supported by regression analysis, the authors indicated relationships between the studied variables and identified gaps in the system for collecting information about disruptions on the railway network. The conclusion underlined in the paper is the necessity to develop a coherent system for collecting data on disturbances, which will contribute to the development of a model of knowledge management about disruptions and will allow to coordinate the network to increase its reliability.