Chapter 5.3 (Rail transportation) updated

A comprehensive review of the material, including the development of intermodal and high-speed rail networks. There is also a section on pipelines. 5.3 – Rail Transportation and Pipelines | The Geography of Transport Systems (transportgeography.org)

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Chapter 4.1 (Transportation and Energy) updated

An update of the chapter covering the relationships between transportation and energy was completed. It follows recent development in alternative sources of energy. Still, transportation is expected to extensively rely on fossil fuels within the foreseeable future. 4.1 – Transportation and Energy | The Geography of Transport Systems (transportgeography.org)

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Vehicle Miles Travelled and Oil Prices

The growth of Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) and oil prices are usually inversely proportional. A surge in oil prices commonly results in a drop in growth rates of VMT, which can become negative with surges that are acute. The Covid-19 pandemic represents an exception as VMTs and oil prices dropped

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Generations of Containerships (update)

Updated the classification of containerships to consider the latest developments of ships in the range of 25,000 TEUs. The practical upper limit of containership sizes has been debated in recent years as the larger the size, the more limited the port call options, and the more extensive the impacts on

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Major Rail Stations and Rail Lines in the Paris Metropolitan Area

Paris represents a salient example of the constraints of the urban spatial structure where the first rail stations could not be built in the central area, but along an almost equidistant concentric circle. Major Rail Stations and Rail Lines in the Paris Metropolitan Area | The Geography of Transport Systems

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Intermodal rail yards in the Chicago area (new page)

The Chicago metropolitan area is the largest intermodal rail cluster in the United States with 6.4 million lifts in 2018. Intermodal Rail Yards in the Chicago Metropolitan Area | The Geography of Transport Systems (transportgeography.org)

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World’s 20 largest corporations (2021 update)

Updated the ranking of the world’s largest corporations by revenue. Scalability is the core driver which is achieved differently depending on the activity sector. For retail and e-commerce, this involves the setting of a large distribution network. For energy and mining, it is mostly through economies of scale in extraction

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The Rationale for Trade (update)

Updated the page discussing to what extent international trade is a necessity or a convenience. It is both, depending on the type of goods. The page can be accessed here: The Rationale for Trade | The Geography of Transport Systems (transportgeography.org)

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Participation level in global value chains (new)

Added a new page discussing a categorization of how countries participate in global value chains. This classification is coming from the 2020 World Development Report. The core issue is the difference between backward participation having outputs created by previous stages in the value chain and forward participation producing goods used

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Cross-docking distribution center (update)

Since it is the holiday season, it is worth noting that the capability of large retail stores to be supplied relies on cross-docking distribution centers. Orders coming from several suppliers or distribution centers can be sorted so that each individual store receives customized orders. For e-commerce, the cross-docking principle (sortation

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