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WSDOT Rail Office 1997 Request to the State Legislature


This document is courtesy of the Washington State Department of Transportation

WSDOT's Rail Office Information Packet on Program and Budget Policy

As of January 20, 1997

For more information or simply questions, please call 1-800-822-2015 or (360) 705-7901 or WSDOT Rail Office email

This document was given to all state elected officials as part of the WSDOT 1997-99 budget request. This document is separated into sections. Please click one of the topics below for more information.

Introduction

Washington State, faced with a rapidly growing population and economy, has taken strides toward a balanced transportation system that moves people and goods safely, conveniently and cost-effectively. Our statewide rail system is an extremely important part of this transportation system. Washington State's participation in this part of our transportation system was most recently outlined in Washington State RCW 47.79 and RCW 47.76.


Governance - Rail Passenger Program

Intercity Passenger Rail: RCW 47.79

In 1992, the United States Department of Transportation designated the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor from Vancouver, B.C. to Eugene, Oregon as one of five corridors in the nation to be developed for high-speed rail passenger service.

In 1993, the legislature acknowledged that major intercity transportation corridors in the state are becoming increasingly congested and that high speed ground transportation offers a safer, more efficient and environmentally responsible alternative to increasing highway capacity.

The legislature determined that there is substantial public benefit to establishing a high speed ground transportation program. Recognizing that it is important to develop public support and awareness of the substantial benefits of high speed ground transportation, the legislature directed the Department, under RCW 47.79, to develop high-quality intercity rail passenger service through an upgrading of existing service.

Incremental improvements may include, (but are not limited to) improvement of depots, improved grade-crossing protection or elimination where needed for rail passenger service, enhanced train signals to improve capacity and increase train speeds, revised track geometry or additional trackage to improve ride quality and increase train speeds, providing capacity for additional rail passenger service, and providing rail passenger equipment.


Program Overview - Intercity Passenger Rail

The Washington Transportation Plan outlines service objectives and action strategies for the continued development of improved intercity rail passenger service for the next twenty years. These include:

What is Intercity Rail Passenger Service?

Intercity rail passenger service connects central cities along a rail right-of-way in densely traveled corridors. Travelers using this service usually make trips of one hundred miles or more.

Incremental Program

The intercity rail passenger program provides a logical progression of infrastructure investment and performance to build rail service that is a viable alternative to automobile and commuter air travel. Necessary improvements enhance safety, reliability, frequency, travel times, and connections to other modes.

As a result of the first of these rail system improvements, Amtrak currently operates daily state-sponsored rail passenger service between Seattle - Portland and Seattle Vancouver, BC utilizing Spanish-built Talgo trains.

Partnerships

Development of the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor is a cooperative partnership of Washington, Oregon, the Province of British Columbia, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and local jurisdictions.

Existing intercity rail passenger service in the state of Washington utilizes rail infrastructure owned by BNSF. Extensive analysis reveals that there are substantial current and future infrastructure needs to meet rail system (freight and passenger) needs. The following has been agreed upon:

A long-term contractual right to operate rail passenger trains is received for state funded improvements.

Amtrak is the contracted provider for the operation of intercity rail passenger service.

State funding is leveraged with partnering funds to provide an efficient use of resources.

Long-Range Program Goals


Budget - Rail Passenger Program

1997-1999 Biennium Current Law Budget

The 1997-1999 Current Law Budget for the Rail Passenger Program is $51.4 Million. This includes both operating and a capital components.

The operating component includes funds to continue existing state-sponsored service, maintain state owned and leased equipment, administer state programs, market state-sponsored train service, receive expert assistance from consultants, and coordinate with the RTA.

The capital component includes funds to complete the lease/purchase of Talgo trains, complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and system plan, and invest in track and signal improvements, engineering, and intermodal facility improvements.

The Rail Passenger Program budget is as follows:

2-Year Current Law Budget: $51.4 Million

Operating (Y3) $20,449,000
Capital (Y4) $30,945,000
Total Current Law Budget $51,394,000

Partnership Funding

The 1997-99 CLB will be leveraged by funding from corridor partners:

1997-1993 Rail Passenger Program Deliverables

Capital

Run-Time Improvements

The combination of track improvements, ODOT investment between the Columbia River and Portland Union Station (currently under contract), higher tilt train speeds in curves (field testing in spring 1997), modification of municipal speed restrictions as proposed by BNSF, and new Amtrak locomotives can safely and reliably reduce travel times. Computer simulations indicate that the combination of all these efforts could provide up to a 40 minute reduction in Seattle-Portland and Seattle-Vancouver, BC travel times. These run times would allow for an additional round trip on the Seattle-Portland route without the purchase of new train equipment.

Operating

2-Year Agency Request Budget: $39.6 Million

Two agency request decision packages have been submitted for consideration.

2-Year Agency Request Budget: $39.6 Million

 Capital (Y4) $39,600,000
Agency Request Budget $39,600,000


Accomplishments - Intercity Passenger Rail

The following defines the program and project deliverables the Washington State Department of Transportation's Rail Office has accomplished.

Passenger Rail Service

Ridership

Corridor ridership has nearly doubled since 1993. Ridership continued to grow by 9% in 199~, to about 420,000 passengers, even though severe weather conditions caused many cancellations of service during the early and late i 996. As an example of continued growth, August 1996 had more than 50,000 corridor passengers, a 15% increase over the previous year. Each state-sponsored train carries more than 80,000 riders annually and consistently rank in the top ten of Amtrak's hundreds of trains nationally for customer satisfaction.

Euro-Style Trains

Washington State is the first in the United States to purchase Spanish-made Talgo train sets. By the summer of 1998, custom-built, northwest Talgo trainsets will replace leased trains on Amtrak's state-sponsored Mount Baker International (Seattle-Vancouver, BC) and Mount Adams (Seattle-Portland, Oregon) service. Amtrak is also purchasing a new Talgo train, which will be used on daily Cascadia (Seattle-Eugene) service.

Renfe Talgo of America is expected to announce its selected Washington State subcontractors sometime in 1997.

Infrastructure and Track Improvements

Track improvements in the 1995-1997 budget are essentially complete between Seattle and Blaine, meeting contractual requirements for the first round trip between Seattle and Vancouver.

Revenue Recovery

Revenues are recovered through ticket, food, beverage and concession revenues. Passenger generated revenues have covered more than 65% of operating costs for the Mount Baker International and 55% on the Mount Adams. Any costs not covered by these revenues are the responsibility of the state.

Environmental Impact Statement

Scoping is complete and alternative review is underway for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor EIS. Efforts to complete the EIS and a system plan are ongoing, and include coordination with regulatory agencies, railroads, Amtrak, local communities, the general public, and the RTA. In December, WSDOT accepted the recommendation of technical experts to eliminate the "Prairie Line" bypass alternative. As a result, all options still under consideration include service to Olympia/Lacey's Centennial Station.

Intermodal Facilities

The WSDOT Rail Passenger Program provided $7 million in the 1993-1995 biennium for developing intermodal facilities, including ownership transfers to local jurisdictions. Facilities in Bellingham, Olympia/Lacey; Kelso; Ephrata; and Spokane are complete. Other facilities statewide are in various stages of design or construction. No funds were appropriated for the intermodal facilities for the 1995-1997 biennium. Communities have actively pursued alternative sources of funding for these projects, with limited success, and still request financial assistance from WSDOT.

WSDOT and Amtrak have retained a consultant to perform architectural design work for the renovation of the interior of King Street Station. Amtrak West has committed $5 million to design and construction, and is looking to WSDOT, RTA and the city of Seattle to provide similar funds for a core rehabilitation of the passenger terminal, including seismic concerns.

Positive Train Separation

Positive Train Separation (PTS) technology operates like air traffic control to improve safety and increase capacity on existing rail lines. BNSF and Union Pacific railroads are jointly developing PTS technology using satellite based global positioning and onboard databases in the Pacific Northwest. Initial testing of the software began in November 1996. Additional testing will be performed throughout 1997. ODOT recently received federal funds to extend PTS throughout the entire corridor.


Governance - Freight Rail

RCW 47.76: Freight Rail

Washington's freight rail system is made up of 16 common carriers, including thirteen line-haul, one non-operating rail line owner, and two switching/terminal companies. The thirteen line-haul carriers range in size from short lines to large national railroad systems. This system provides four major types of connections to other modes including deep water marine ports, river ports, intermodal trailer/container transfer terminals, and shipper connections at industrial spurs and team tracks.

RCW 47.76 directs the Department to implement a program for freight rail coordination, planning and technical assistance. As specified, the Department utilizes the Essential Rail Assistance Account (ERAA) to provide financial assistance to preserve, enhance and promote continued service on light density rail lines, and preserve essential rail lines threatened with abandonment.

Assistance includes acquiring, rehabilitating and improving light density lines, constructing loading facilities, and providing rail equipment to increase business on light density lines. Assistance is provided in the form of loans or grants. The program may provide funds to local public agencies, or private railroads. Projects utilize local participation and project sponsorship to the greatest extent possible. Potential projects must be analyzed in the State Rail Plan and must meet eligibility criteria.

The Federal Local Rail Freight Assistance Program has provided limited federal funds for these purposes since 1979. State and federal funds have been leveraged, when possible, to provide for the completion of eligible projects.

In 1995, based upon the recommendations of the Washington State Freight Rail Policy Development Committee, a group that included members of the legislature; state, regional, and local officials; railroads; ports; and other public and private interests, the legislature broadened the focus of the WSDOT Freight Rail Program under RCW 47.76 to address additional issues related to mainline congestion and port access in addition to light density lines and corridor preservation.

In 1996, under Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2832, the Department was further directed to work in partnership with Washington State Parks and Recreation and the Department of Natural Resources to facilitate the completion of a cross-state trail, maintain ownership of the Milwaukee Road Corridor, and determine the value of the Milwaukee Road Corridor between Ellensburg and Lind as a reinstituted rail line while exploring the possibility of developing a franchise agreement to use this corridor for future rail service.

As directed by RCW 47.76, a comprehensive overview of the Rail Freight Program between 1990 and 1996 is underway. Anticipated completion date is February 20, 1996.


Program Objectives - Freight Rail

Service Objectives of the Freight Rail Program are addressed in the Washington Transportation Plan (WTP). This policy document provides the Department's twenty year vision for meeting the transportation needs of the state.

In 1994, the Freight Rail Policy Development Committee performed an extensive study of the WSDOT Freight Rail Program, statewide transportation issues, and railroad issues. The Committee recognized that a viable freight rail system is essential to the economy of Washington State. The committee recommended that the WSDOT Freight Rail Program expand it's focus beyond branch lines and preservation to monitor, analyze, evaluate, and address critical freight capacity, safety, and intermodal terminal access needs.

Through both advocacy and investment action strategies, the Freight Rail Program has developed Service Objectives to address branch line, mainline, and corridor preservation concerns. The following concerns are addressed in the WTP:

Branch Lines

Mainlines

Rail Corridors


Budget - Freight Rail

Budget: Freight Rail 1997-99 Current Law Budget

The Current Law Budget for the Freight Rail Program consists of an operating and a capital component.

The Operating Component includes program administration activities, as well as continued efforts on the Milwaukee Corridor project.

The capital component includes the offset of $1 million in federal funds due to the recession of the federal Local Rail Freight Assistance(LRFA) program.

2-Year Current Law Budget: $2.9 Million

 Operating (Y2) $1,660,000
Capital (Y5) $1,256,000
Total Current Law Budget $2,916,000

1997-99 Deliverables

Operating

Capital

The CLB does not address Mainline/Port Access or Corridor Preservation service objectives.

Agency Request Budget: Freight Rail

Three agency request decision packages have been submitted for consideration. All are consistent with strategies to improve efficiency and safety by improving highway/rail interfaces, and to preserve, enhance and promote continued service on light density lines, preserving essential rail lines threatened with abandonment.

2-Year Agency Request Budget: $6.2 Million

 Capital (Y5) $6,200,000
Agency Request $6,200,000


Accomplishments - Freight Rail

1996 - Emergency Flood Damage Repairs on the Blue Mountain RR

The Blue Mountain RR sustained heavy flood damage from February 1996 floods and was knocked out of service with numerous track and bridge washouts. The Blue Mountain RR operates 200 miles of rail lines within Whitman County, Walla Walla County and Columbia County. This railroad provides essential transportation services to businesses of those counties and carries up to 3700 carloads of freight and goods annually. A partnership between WSDOT, Port of Columbia, shippers and railroad was created to preserve rail service.

1996 - Lewis & Clark Railway Acquisition/Rehabilitation

Clark County owns a 26 mile rail corridor (known as the Lewis & Clark Railway) from Rye to Chelatchie. The BNSF railroad owned the 3.6 miles of track between the county's rail.corridor and the mainline at Vancouver Junction. This connecting section of track (known as the Rye Branch) was damaged in recent floods and as a result the county's rail lines were no longer connected to mainline rail service and Battle Ground to Moulton Falls tour trains were halted.

BNSF agreed to donate the affected Rye Branch to Clark County (estimated donation value $4.8 million). Clark County agreed to accept the donation subject to receiving a WSDOT grant to repair the flood damage. Repairs have been completed.

1996 - Tunnel Repairs on the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad

The Pend Oreille Valley Railroad (POVR) serves two major shippers in lone and Metaline Falls. These shippers are dependent on rail service to meet their transportation needs. The POVR system includes the Blue Slide Tunnel through which trains must pass to serve the shippers. The POVR determined that the continued operations of the railroad was threatened by geological instability of the tunnel.

1995 - Acquisition of the Tacoma Eastern Railroad

Partnership with City of Tacoma, Port of Tacoma, and Boeing to acquire and restore common carrier service to this former Milwaukee Road RR property. This project is part of the Tacoma "Train to the Mountain" project. The line has potential as a freight railroad, to serve future commuter needs, and as a major tourist attraction. Without WSDOT funds the City could not have financed this acquisition.

1995 - Grain Train Program

In 1995, the Grain Train Program was developed in response to chronic grain car shortages in the Palouse Region of Eastern Washington. Without an adequate supply of grain cars, 200 miles of light density rail lines were at risk to abandonment. The preservation of service on these lines reduces energy costs and avoids considerable road damage that would occur if the grain was shipped by trucks. Utilizing federal antitrust Stripper Well funds, WSDOT agreed to purchase 29 covered hopper grain cars in return for commitments from four grain co-ops to ship their grain on designated light density rail lines. The Port of Walla Walla manages the fleet on behalf of WSDOT. In 1996, 340 grain cars carried the equivalent of 969 truckloads of wheat between the Palouse and deep water Columbia River ports. The program has been self-sustaining since initial purchase of the equipment.

1995 - Rehabilitation of the Palouse River Division of the Blue Mountain RR

This short line railroad is 137 miles in length and serves major grain elevators and communities in the Palouse wheat growing region of eastern Washington. Communities served by this line include Colfax, Pullman, LaCrosse, St. John and Moscow. Without WSDOT assistance this line would have been abandoned.

1994 - Rehabilitation of the Terrace Heights to Moxee Line in Yakima County

This line provides critical transportation services to one of the largest manufacturers in Moxee. The manufacturer would relocate out of state if their rail service were lost. Had it not been for WSDOT assistance, the short line railroad operating on the line could not have financed the rehabilitation.

1994 - Rehabilitation of the Walla Walla to Dayton line of the Blue Mountain RR

This line provides service from Walla Walla to the Seneca-Green Giant food processing plant in Dayton and to a major wheat elevator in Prescott. Rail service is vital to the Green Giant plant and the wheat elevator. The short line operator does not have the financial resources to fund this project without WSDOT help.

1994 - Rehabilitation of the Mount Vernon Terminal Railroad

This short railroad serves as a switching and terminal railroad between the BNSF mainline and a frozen seafood processing plant in Mount Vernon. WSDOT provided funds to rehabilitate this line since the owner of this line was unable to provide financing for the rehabilitation. Since the rehabilitation, shipping has increased significantly on the line in this timber depressed community.

1992 - Rehabilitation of Lewis & Clark RY

This is a 10.5 mile section of rail between Rye and Battle Ground in Clark County. The line serves three major shippers and other minor shippers. This is a county-owned rail line serving an area with high industrial development potential. The rehabilitation could not have been carried out without WSDOT support.

1991 - Stampede Pass Rail Line Abandonment Prevention

The BNSF placed this line in their System Diagram Map for abandonment. WSDOT analyzed the traffic potential on the line and marshaled support from shippers and communities to oppose the abandonment. WSDOT calculated the net liquidation value of the line and secured $5.2 million funding from the legislature with which to make an offer of financial assistance for purchase of the line under the Interstate Commerce Commission rules in abandonment cases. BNSF decided to remove the line from their abandonment list and mothball it instead.

Other Noteworthy Accomplishments


Concluding Remarks

Freight mobility investments must address the issue of rail line abandonment if we wish to preserve Washington's rail system. Washington State lost 1894 miles or 3~1 percent of its active rail lines to abandonment during the last 25 years. Over 130 miles of rail lines were abandoned in 1993 alone. Of the remaining 3114 miles of rail lines, 1642 miles or 53 percent of the rail system are light density rail lines that are most vulnerable to abandonment.

With other modes of transportation operating over government built and maintained infrastructure, it is imperative that the state helps struggling short line railroads survive. Maintaining their own track, bridges, tunnels, railroad crossings and other structures forces these railroads to go out of business, particularly repairing damage caused by natural disasters.

The economic impact of Washington's vanishing rail-system can be summed up as follows:

A compelling case can be made for state assistance in preserving what's left of our rail infrastructure.




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Last Update: 01/03/98
Web Author: Warren Y. Yee
DeltaPoint,

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