CRCS has three costing models, each requiring more information, but providing greater accuracy. Movements analyzed with QuickCost may be moved to the BasicCost or ProCost level through the Data Manager, eliminating the need for re-entering all of the variables.

Quick Cost Model

As its name implies, this model allows the user to quickly assess revenue to variable cost ratios and other pertinent information for a large number of movements in a short amount of time. Quick Cost requires the user to input as few as six movement parameters. The Product Code,Freight Car Type, and Rail Carrier may be chosen from lookup tables.

• product code
• freight car type (hopper,tank,etc.)
• car ownership (private or railroad)
• car rental rate
• rail rate
• rail carrier for each segment
• mileage for each segment

Basic Cost Model

Basic Cost allows the user to input up to twenty-five movement characteristics. The primary advantages over Quick Cost are that the user can specify:

• cars per waybill
• switch charges
• car rental rate
• tare weights
• loss and damage costs
• switch engine minutes at origin
• switch engine minutes at destination

Basic Cost is the preferred module for calculating movements that use multiple cars or unit trains, full mileage freight rates contracts, or that have local switching carriers.

ProCost Model

ProCost provides the capability of entering variables for as many as thirty-three parameters. Again, movements input using BasicCost may be moved to the ProCost model for further analysis with no data loss. The results from this model, given accurate inputs, provide a degree of accuracy heretofore available only through the expenditure of tens of thousands of dollars in consulting fees per movement.