Summary. The article presents the results of studies of freight transportation by unit trains. The article is aimed at developing the methods of the efficiency evaluation of unit train dispatch on the basis of full-scale experiments. Duration of the car turnover is a random variable when dispatching the single cars and group cars, as well as when dispatching them as a part of a unit train. The existing methodologies for evaluating the efficiency of unit trains' make-up are based on the use of calculation methodologies and their results can give significant errors. The work presents a methodology that makes it possible to evaluate the efficiency of unit train shipments based on the processing of results of experimental travels using the methods of mathematical statistics. This approach provides probabilistic estimates of the rolling stock use efficiency for different approaches to the organization of car traffic volumes, as well as establishes the effect for each of the participants in the transportation process. СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЕ МЕТОДОВ ОЦЕНКИ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ МАРШРУТИЗАЦИИ ЖЕЛЕЗНОДОРОЖНЫХ ПЕРЕВОЗОКАннотация. В статье представлены результаты исследований перевозок грузов по железной дороге отправительскими маршрутами. Целью статьи является разработка методов оценки эффективности маршрутизации перевозок на основании натурных экспериментов. Продолжительность оборота вагонов как при отправлении одиночных вагонов и групп вагонов, так и при отправлении их в составе отправительских маршрутов представляет собой случайную величину. Действующие методики оценки эффективности формирования отправительских маршрутов основываются на использовании расчетных методов и их результаты могут давать существенные погрешности. В работе представлена методика, позволяющая оценить эффективность маршрутизации перевозок на основании обработки результатов опытных поездок с помощью методов математической статистики. Такой подход позволяет получить вероятностные оценки эффективности использования подвижного состава при разных методах организации вагонопотоков, а также установить эффект для каждого из участников перевозочного процесса.

Ukraine has undertaken the implementation of European Union Directives, which provide non-discriminatory admission to the railway infrastructure of independent carriers. A significant number of factors considerably affect working conditions of the carriers which are independent of Ukrzaliznytsia. One of the goals while performing transportation by independent carriers is the organization of private locomotives operation and their service by engine crews. The purpose of the article is to assess technical and economic indices of private locomotives use for goods transportation. The schemes of infrastructure objects arrangement for locomotives operation and engine crews work are presented. Performed calculations show the potential possibility of independent railway carriers to fulfil transportation to seaports with the use of its private locomotive infrastructure exclusively. The estimation of economically expedient volumes of cargo transportation by private locomotives in comparison with existing pricing of Ukrzaliznytsia is carried out. The nonlinear dependence of transportation volume depending on the distance is determined, at which the total cost of cargo transportation by Ukrzaliznytsia locomotives is equal to the cost of cargo transportation by private locomotives. The results of the study allow concerned companies to evaluate the investment efficiency into the development of locomotive fleet for rail transportation.