Railway Transport and Its Role in the Supply Chains: Overview, Concerns, and Future Direction

Supply chain development has globally increased the importance of rail transport systems. This importance is mainly attributed to high speed, safety, reliability, lower cost, and being eco-friendly compared to road transportation. This chapter examines the overview of the rail freight network, its role in the supply chain, scientific literature, and current concerns. Rail network concerns are investigated considering six essential elements: environment, cost, optimization, operation, planning, and safety and resilience. Furthermore, a comprehensive causality network is developed to manage the railway network effectively. Finally, future directions, opportunities, and challenges in this domain are presented.