Freight Commuters? Evaluating the Feasibility of Integrated Passenger-Freight Transportation Through a Station-Level Screening Framework on Maryland's MARC System

Abstract

Integrated Passenger–Freight Transportation (IPFT) has gained renewed attention as a strategy to improve rail system efficiency, reliability, and sustainability without extensive new right-of-way construction. However, feasibility and public benefit vary substantially across shared-use corridors, particularly at station nodes where operational, spatial, and land-use factors intersect. This study proposes and applies a station-level, GIS-based screening framework to evaluate IPFT feasibility along Maryland’s MARC Camden and Brunswick Lines, which operate in proximity to CSX freight corridors. Using a multi-criteria approach, stations are assessed across five dimensions: platform separation, track complexity, right-of-way flexibility, adjacent land-use compatibility, and accessibility. Network-based walking and driving service areas and point-of-interest data are used to capture station-area context and access conditions. Results reveal highly uneven IPFT feasibility across stations, with a limited subset exhibiting strong alignment across operational and spatial dimensions. The findings support a selective, pilot-oriented approach to passenger–freight integration and demonstrate the value of early-stage screening tools for future-ready rail planning. The study contributes a transparent and replicable framework that can inform corridor development, investment prioritization, and coordinated passenger–freight strategies.