| Abstract: | Railway containerization is important to the development of an efficient inland‐port distribution (IPD) system in China. After reviewing the general transportation network evolution and local circumstances, a strategy of focusing the limited capital investment at a few railway stations with the highest potential to develop into land‐based load centers (LLCs) was proposed. The fifteen major railway stations designated in the 2002 Plan form the basis for an evaluation. With the application of geographic information systems (GIS), each station's potential to become a LLC is evaluated under infrastructural, economic, logistics, and capacity dimensions. The 250‐ and 500‐km hinterland scenarios are considered. |
