Replication Data for: The efficiency of railways specialized in transporting iron ore and pellets

Objective: the objective is to compare the relative efficiency of the railways specialized in transporting iron ore (MFe) and pellets (PLMFe), which are part of the assets of mining companies and pellet plants considering the 2016 scenario. Methods: the methods used were the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique, with the application of the output-oriented constant returns scale (CRS) model; the initial combinatorial multicriteria method for choosing the input variables; and Tobit regression as a validation strategy for the DEA model. Results: of the twelve railways evaluated, three railways were identified as efficient: Estrada de Ferro Carajás, Fortescue, and Mount Newman. Conclusions: the applied model was considered a good method to evaluate the efficiency of railways specialized in transporting MFe and PLMFe, as it determined the efficiency of each railway, suggesting the necessary increase in the output variable or adjustments in the input variables so that the railways reach the efficiency frontier. With that, companies can use the results of this study to guide future improvements to make their railways more efficient or maintain them on the frontier of efficiency.

研究目标：本研究旨在对比2016年情境下，隶属于矿业公司与球团厂的铁矿石（MFe）及球团矿（PLMFe）专用铁路的相对运输效率。
研究方法：采用数据包络分析（Data Envelopment Analysis, DEA）技术，应用产出导向型规模报酬不变（Constant Returns to Scale, CRS）模型；通过初始组合多准则方法筛选输入变量；并以Tobit回归作为DEA模型的验证策略。
研究结果：在本次评估的12条铁路中，共有3条被认定为有效率铁路，分别为卡拉加斯铁路（Estrada de Ferro Carajás）、福蒂斯丘铁路（Fortescue）与纽曼山铁路（Mount Newman）。
研究结论：本研究采用的模型可有效评估铁矿石与球团矿专用铁路的运输效率，能够明确各铁路的效率水平，并为未达效率前沿的铁路提出产出变量提升或输入变量调整的优化方向。据此，相关企业可依托本研究结果指导后续优化工作，以提升其铁路运输效率，或维持其铁路在效率前沿的运行状态。