have a significant impact on costs. The cost elasticity with
respect to an increase in the number of switches is 0.705,
and based on the total number of switches and total
maintenance costs, it can be deduced that an additional
switch would increase the maintenance costs by about SEK
14,000. The mean cost elasticity with respect to the quality
index is 0.245. Considering the current average track
standard and average maintenance costs, and assuming
that the index variable is measured on—at least—a ratio
scale, an investment to improve the average track quality of
an average track unit with one index unit would reduce
maintenance costs by about SEK 280,000.