## 3 Methodology  
The quantitative aspects of intermodal freight terminals, such as the duration of activities and operations connected to handling and transportation, are not very often described in the literature with a precise manner. Therefore, the main issues of this paper were developed according to an empirical method that included numerous local visits to selected intermodal freight terminals, the recording and analysis of videos politely conveyed by intermodal freight terminal personnel and management, or an appropriate documentation [48; 49; 50; 51] politely conveyed by intermodal freight terminal personnel and management as well. In Poland, in 2017, there were 30 active intermodal freight terminals, including 6 maritime and 24 inland intermodal freight terminals [52]. The total annual handling capacity of intermodal terminals amounted to 2.7 million TEUs (TEU--Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) in inland intermodal freight terminals, while in maritime intermodal terminals it was 8.8 million TEUs [52], which is not an impressive value compared to the 740 million TEUs worldwide according to [PERSON] et al. (2018) [39]. The intermodal freight terminals (land container terminals only) selected for this research were characterised by the following ranges of parameters:  
* terminals area: 28,000-80,000 (m\({}^{2}\)),
* terminal throughput: 110,000-250,000 (TEU/year),
* storage capacity: 2700-4000 (TEU),
* number of rubber tyre gantry cranes: 0-4 pieces,
* number of reef plugs: 60-76 pieces,
* operating length of rail siding: 4 \(\times\) 650 (700) (m). Not every land-based intermodal freight terminal is equipped with gantry cranes, therefore it was decided to analyse the mean of transport that is most commonly used in domestic intermodal freight terminals. According to the Central Statistical Office (Glowny Urzad Statystyczny), Polish inland intermodal freight terminals were operated by 46/36 different container carriers (where: the first number is for 2017, and the second one is for 2016) of which 25/30 pieces were reach stackers and 21/6 pieces were container straddle carriers, straddle carriers and side lift carriers (automated lifting vehicles) listed in total [52; 53]. The Process of Large Cargo Containers Received Into an Intermodal Freight Terminal, Delivered by Road Transport  
The process described in the section is essential for understanding the degree of complexity of large cargo containers offtake into IFT. The process is included in the durations of operations given in Section 5. The arrival of large cargo containers into intermodal freight terminals is only possible when based on making a monitoring note for loading unit before, via e-mail or with the use of a computer system. A monitoring note is initiated by a customer who is obliged to transfer the key data to an intermodal freight terminal. These data concern _inter alia_:  
* a type of an intermodal transport unit (compatible with the ISO standard),
* an identification number of a large cargo container,* a place of origin and a destination of one,
* a specification whether an intermodal transport unit is loaded/empty, and a type of freight if an intermodal transport unit is loaded,
* a registration number of a tractor-trailer,
* an identity of a driver,
* the data of a provider,
* the gross weight and net weight (tare) of a large cargo container,
* external dimensions, in the case of the transportation of an oversized freight, with detailed dimensions beyond the nominal intermodal transport units (length/width/height),
* the IMO class for the transportation of dangerous freight [54],
* the dedicated temperature of cooling/heating in the case of refrigerated or heated cargo containers,
* other additional information. The data from a monitoring note enable the identification of a large cargo container during its offtake at an intermodal freight terminal area and help to determine the storage place on a set-aside area. This is particularly important in the case of medium and large size terminals, where numerous intermodal transport units are stored.