NCHRP Report 657: Guidebook for Implementing Passenger Rail Service on Shared Passenger and Freight Corridors

Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.

OCR for page 76
76 Guidebook for Implementing Passenger Rail Service on Shared Passenger and Freight Corridors The status of STB and FRA efforts in response to these sections of PRIIA will be evolving over the coming months and years. Passenger rail interests are strongly advised to inform themselves of the current status of these efforts before entering negotiations with Amtrak and host railroads. The above requirements apply to intercity services as operated by Amtrak. In addition, PRIIA Section 401 empowers the STB to conduct non-binding mediation if a commuter rail agency and a host railroad cannot reach agreement on access terms on their own. This power has been dis- cussed in Section 4.4 of this Guidebook in reference to negotiating and finalizing a basic access agreement. The STB may exercise the same powers if a commuter rail agency and host are unable to reach agreement regarding service additions and other changes. 5.2.2 Performance Monitoring and Service Quality Service performance can be maintained at a high level only if it is both monitored regularly and arrangements are in place to address cases of unsatisfactory performance. Poor OTP and poor service in other areas can have a substantial adverse effect on ridership. In addition, delays have an adverse impact on operating costs, including additional train crew working hours, provision of substitute transportation if a train has to be terminated short of its destination, and compen- sation to passengers for missed connections. Recommended practices in each area are discussed in Sections 5.3 and 5.4 for Amtrak intercity and commuter service, respectively. Specific areas of interest include: � Reporting obligations--what is reported by the host railroad, Amtrak (if involved), and a con- tract operator (if involved) to the passenger rail agency and between each other. Usually, this includes service performance metrics such as delay minutes, analysis of delay causes and responsibilities, OTP, requirements for special reports on unusual delays and events, and arrangements for communicating information to the public, as required. Agencies responsi- ble for shorter intercity corridors may find that regular Amtrak reporting procedures may not be adequate and will have to establish separate local mechanisms. � Incentives, penalties, and contractually enforceable standards for OTP (host railroad) and other performance factors (for example, with a contract operator). � Recommended practices for working with a host railroad to correct persistent poor performance. � Lines of communication between host railroad, passenger rail agency, O&M contractor, or Amtrak, including arrangements for regular performance review meetings and establishing plans of action to address poor performance. 5.2.3 Agreement Revisions and Updates As discussed in Chapter 4, recommended practice with respect to access agreements is to exe- cute a long-term (20 years or more) master agreement with Amtrak (if intercity service) or directly with the host railroad (if commuter service). The long-term agreement will guarantee access and specify access terms, but will contain provisions for regular revisions of service details (e.g., number of trips up to a specified maximum, journey times, station stops) and additional infrastructure investments as needed. The agreement gives all users confidence that they can fol- low their long-term strategic plans for the corridor without risk that their plans will be blocked by an inability to renegotiate the agreement at some point in the future. However, because demand for both freight and passenger service and the availability of funding for service devel- opments are unpredictable, it is also necessary to have flexibility to adjust the agreement within defined limits in response to changing conditions. The agreements should be based on long-term plans and traffic forecasts for each corridor user and should provide security of access for ser- vices up to the planned or forecast traffic levels, plus an allowance for additional growth. In almost

Table of Contents

Front Matter R1-R11

1.1 Introduction 1-1

1.2.1 Historical Background 2-3

1.2.2 The Present Situation 4-4

1.3.1 Scope 5-5

1.3.2 Purpose 6-6

1.3.3 Content 7-8

2.1.1 Content of Section 9-9

2.1.2 Passenger Rail Development Timeline 10-10

2.2.2 Understanding the Railroad Industry 11-11

2.2.4 Role of Long-Term Planning 12-12

2.2.5 Is the Proposed Service Amtrak Intercity or Commuter? 13-15

2.2.6 Educating Public Officials 16-17

2.3.1 Introduction 18-19

2.3.2 The Feasibility Study 20-21

2.4 Substantive Negotiations 22-22

2.4.1 Defining What the Passenger Agency Needs 23-24

2.4.2 The Access Agreement and Infrastructure Improvements 25-27

2.4.3 Capital and Operations and Maintenance Costs 28-28

2.5.1 The National Liability Situation and Amtrak 29-29

2.5.2 Non-Amtrak Passenger Rail Service Operators and Agencies 30-32

3.2.1 Simulation and Modeling Overview 33-35

3.2.2 Choice and Availability of Models 36-36

3.2.3 Using Simulation and Modeling in Rail Corridor Planning and Negotiations 37-39

3.3.1 Right-of-Way Access or Acquisition 40-40

3.3.2 Estimating Capital Costs 41-41

3.3.3 Sharing Infrastructure Capital Costs 42-42

3.3.4 Rolling Stock Capital Costs 43-43

3.3.5 Signaling and Train Control Capital Costs 44-44

3.4.1 Overview 45-45

3.4.2 Railroad Operations and Maintenance Cost Categories 46-47

3.4.3 Cost-Sharing and Allocation Approaches 48-48

3.4.4 Operations and Maintenance Cost Analysis 49-49

3.4.5 Application to Intercity and Commuter Operations 50-51

4.1 Introduction 52-52

4.2 Types of Agreements Needed to Implement Passenger Rail Service 53-55

4.2.2 Introduction to Commuter Service 56-56

4.3.1 Introduction 57-57

4.3.2 Inputs to and Preparations for Finalizing the Agreements 58-59

4.3.3 Agreements between Amtrak and the Freight Railroad 60-60

4.3.4 An Agreement between the Passenger Rail Agency and Amtrak 61-61

4.3.5 Agreement between the Passenger Rail Agency and the Host Railroad(s) 62-63

4.4.1 Basic Structure of a Commuter Rail Service on Shared Track 64-64

4.4.2 Inputs to and Preparations for Finalizing Commuter Rail Operating Agreements 65-66

4.4.3 Access Alternatives 67-68

4.4.4 Agreement with the Host Freight Railroad 69-69

4.4.5 Operations and Maintenance Services Agreements 70-71

4.5.2 Minor Agreement Revisions to Provide a Limited Service Addition or Performance Improvement 72-72

4.5.4 Managing Change with a Passenger Railroad Host and Freight Tenant 73-73

5.1 Introduction 74-74

5.2.1 PRIIA Requirements and FRA, STB, and Amtrak Actions on Intercity Passenger Service Quality 75-75

5.2.3 Agreement Revisions and Updates 76-76

5.3 Specific Approaches to Managing Amtrak Intercity Services 77-78

5.4 Specific Approaches to Managing Commuter Services 79-79

5.5 Case Studies in Service Management 80-82

Acts of Congress (reverse chronological order) 83-83

Federal Government Regulations and Industry Technical Standards 84-84

Capacity and Cost Analysis 85-85

Other Shared-Use Issues, Including Liability and Safety 86-86

Miscellaneous 87-88

Acronyms 89-91

Appendix A - The U.S. Railroad Industry 92-108

Appendix B - U.S. Railroad Legal and Institutional Arrangements 109-126

Appendix C - Railroad Safety Regulations 127-137

Appendix D - Case Studies of Passenger Rail Service Developments and Processes 138-169

Abbreviations used without definitions in TRB publications 170-170