Rail Division 2012 Annual Summary Overview The Rail Division oversees rail planning and inspection, highway rail crossings, management of stateowned lines (such as the South Orient Rail line (SORR) and Bonham Subdivision), management of statesupported operations (such as the Heartland Flyer passenger service) and rail safety. With over 10,000 total rail miles and over 9,000 public highway rail crossings, the Rail Division continues to fully support TxDOT s strategic goals of maintaining a safe rail system, addressing congestion, connecting Texas communities and becoming a Best in Class state agency. With the rail industry continuing to rebound in 2012, the Rail Division was positioned to respond to the corresponding needs of the State and its rail network and supported its local and regional public partners, as well as its private partners, in achieving numerous successes. All around the State, interest in establishing new passenger rail service and progress in enhancing existing passenger rail services has continued. Freight traffic volumes for most commodity types also continue to increase. Freight railroads continue to invest in rail network capacity improvements and often collaborate with local and regional public partners on projects that have public impacts. Maintaining a Safe System The Rail Division received approval for the Texas Highway Rail Grade Crossing Safety Action Plan from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on November 25, 2011. This plan, required by law, identifies specific solutions for improving safety at crossings with an added emphasis for high risk crossings that have experienced multiple accidents. The plan includes a comprehensive five year implementation schedule that focuses on education, enforcement, evaluation, and engineering. Under the Section 130 Program, the Rail Highway Section obligated $27 million in 2012 to install active warning devices at 138 crossings throughout the State. Over the past decade there has been a general downward trend for rail related injuries and fatalities in Texas despite the substantial growth in population, registered vehicles, miles traveled, and rail traffic. FRA Approved Action Plan TxDOT rail safety Investigators are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek, and 365 days a year to respond to rail emergencies including crossing accidents, derailments, and hazardous material releases. The Rail Safety Section, in coordination with Texas Operation Lifesaver, provides an average of 16 to 20 rail safety presentations annually at schools, employers, and communities throughout the State.
2 Addressing Congestion FRA, TxDOT, Union Pacific Railroad (UP), BNSF Railway (BNSF), and the City of Fort Worth are investing $101.3 million for rail and roadway improvements at the Tower 55 interlocking in downtown Fort Worth to increase freight rail capacity, reduce train delays, reduce vehicular delays at rail roadway crossings, improve bridges and underpasses, improve air quality and enhance pedestrian safety at one of the most congested rail intersections in the United States. The Rail Division was previously successful in obtaining FRA Aerial View of Tower 55 Interlocking funding through a TIGER II grant application that demonstrated the numerous benefits the proposed improvements provide and the successful development of a public private partnership with all of the stakeholders. The project received environmental clearance and TxDOT, UP, and BNSF executed the project agreement in June 2012. Final design plans are currently being completed and construction is anticipated to begin in early 2013. Estimated duration for construction is 24 months. The Belt Junction project was identified in TxDOT s Houston Freight Study in 2006. Currently an east west BNSF track crosses a north south UP track at grade east of the Hardy Toll Road in Houston. Both lines are double tracked before and after the crossing but are reduced to a single track at the crossing. The project will install 3,900 feet of double track through the West Belt Junction, including four power operated turnouts, realigning quadrant connections and reconstructing the manual interlocking signal system. Working with the Gulf Coast Rail District (GCRD), TxDOT and GCRD secured $6.9 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) improvement funds with the additional funds provided by UP and BNSF. Working collaboratively with GCRD, BNSF and UP, the Rail Division assisted in obtaining environmental clearance for the Belt Junction project in July 2012. Construction is expected to begin in 2013. Belt Junction Project Limits Phase II of the El Paso Freight Rail Study was also initiated in 2012 through the Rail Division s Short Term Rail Program Management (STRPM) contract. This phase of the study will focus on evaluating the impacts of increased freight rail traffic within the El Paso District on the public, as well as the existing rail network, and identifying key rail projects that will assist in reducing congestion effects caused by the increased freight rail traffic.
3 Also as part of the STRPM contract, the Rail Division will be evaluating and prioritizing the list of over 500 identified rail related projects in the most recent version of the Texas Rail Plan. The prioritization process will first gather additional rail related projects from areas that had not yet been studied by the Rail Division and begin a general screening process that evaluates basic qualitative and quantitative parameters of each project in order to narrow the list of projects to be evaluated more closely. The next step in the prioritization process will utilize the methodology previously established by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), reviewed by the Statewide Rail Steering Committee, and accepted by the Rail Division. Project scoring will be provided on this reduced list of projects with the 25 top scoring projects being identified for detailed cost benefit analysis (CBA). The CBA results will support the Rail Division in prioritizing these top projects for local, state or federal financial support opportunities. Connecting Texas Communities The Rail Division successfully managed the third phase of the SORR rehabilitation which was completed in September 2012, resulting in increased train speeds up to 25 mph, improved operations, and an expanded customer base for the West Texas region. The improvements consisted of replacing two bridges, repairing 39 bridges, replacing 13,083 linear feet of rail and 2,792 rail ties, repairing 42 switches, upgrading eight signals, and adding 3,056 tons of ballast. Additional details of the completed improvements are available online at TxDOT s website. For the year ending 2011, the SORR achieved its first ever positive SORR Open Deck Tie Replacement on BR 36.30 operating income and net profits, since the line was first leased to Texas Pacifico (TXPF), the line operator. Freight traffic continues to increase largely due to the increase in oil and gas exploration in the region. TXPF has also expanded their operation staff due to the increase freight demand, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Statewide ridership on each of the three Amtrak routes operating within Texas continues to increase. Amtrak s Heartland Flyer route experienced a record level of ridership (78,920 boardings and alightings) in 2011. The Rail Division applied for and received $3.47 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to be used for signal timing adjustments and improvements at 15 crossings over 63 miles on the BNSF s Fort Worth Subdivision on which the Heartland Flyer operates. This project will reduce travel time on the Texas portion of Amtrak s Heartland Flyer route by approximately 15 minutes by increasing travel speeds from 49 mph to 79 mph. The Rail Division secured the FRA grant cooperative agreement (GCA) in 2012. FRA, BNSF and the Rail Division are finalizing details of plans, estimates and improvements which are scheduled for completion near the end of 2013. In May 2011, FRA awarded $15 million in High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program (HSIPR) funds to TxDOT to complete preliminary engineering and project level environmental studies for a new highspeed core express service between Houston and Dallas Fort Worth. The Rail Division is currently negotiating with an engineering consultant and developing a detailed work plan. Development of highspeed rail services within this corridor will reduce congestion, improve air quality, and provide an alternate mode of intercity transportation.
4 The Rail Division executed an engineering contract in September 2012, to perform a study of passenger rail in a corridor extending from Oklahoma City to South Texas, connecting the metropolitan areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio. The Texas Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study is partially funded by a $5.6 million HSIPR grant from the FRA. The study will investigate different types of service, from improved Amtrak service to true high speed rail service. The study will result in a prioritized business plan for implementing the services identified through the public involvement and service level environmental studies. A state wide ridership analysis program is also currently underway where a ridership forecasting model will be developed to evaluate different levels of passenger rail service between various city pairs. The different levels of service include core express ( 125mph), regional (90 Potential Routes DFW to HOU to 125mph), and emerging ( 90mph). The results from this program will help in determining the types of service to be further developed in the State, provide the basis for more detailed ridership studies, benchmark the start for preparing Service Development Plans (SDPs) and support applications for federal funding to further developed the statewide plans. The Rail Division has also completed its revision to Chapter 4 Passenger Rail of the Texas Rail Plan (TRP). Annual revision of this part of the TRP is required by Texas Transportation Code 201.6013. The updated sections are currently posted online. Texas Rail Plan Revised Nov 2012 The Rail Division continues to coordinate with the Lone Star Rail District (LSRD) on their efforts to complete the alternative alignment analysis on the freight rail bypass between Austin and San Antonio and to advance selected alignments into the federally required NEPA process expected to be underway in 2013. This work also includes the required environmental assessment and clearance work necessary to establish passenger rail service along the existing freight rail corridor. Best in Class Agency The Rail Division logs some of the highest mileage usage among divisions of its size. Rail Safety Investigators drive a total average of 20,000 miles every month in state vehicles for investigatory and inspection purposes. The Rail Division maintained an injury free and accident free workplace for FY 2012. For the past two years the FRA has rated Texas as having the top State Rail Safety Participation Program of all the 38 participating states. One example that typifies the quality and effectiveness of the Rail Division was in San Marcos. Rail Division inspectors identified significant potential public safety hazards at a highway rail at grade crossing, as well as a separate pedestrian at grade crossing, located between
5 the newly constructed stadium at Texas State University (TSU) and its west parking lot. The Rail Division assembled the various local officials and stakeholders to collectively meet with Union Pacific to discuss the public safety issues associated with the crossings and the large number of pedestrians during stadium events. The proactive collaboration between all parties resulted in the development of a communications plan among TxDOT, UP, TSU officials and an agreement to minimize rail operations through this area during TSU football games and to notify the railroad of other special events held at the stadium complex. The Rail Division secured the FRA GCA for both of the federally funded passenger rail studies within the State the Texas Oklahoma City Passenger Rail Study and the Dallas Fort Worth to Houston Preliminary Engineering and NEPA Project. The Rail Division was also able to solicit and award numerous consultant contracts, including both passenger rail studies, as well as the Statewide Ridership Analysis and Short Term Rail Program Management projects. All contracts have been procured with activities underway, except for the DFW to Houston project. Throughout 2012, the Rail Division continued to supplement State funding for its program by pursuing federal funding opportunities. Applications for funding through the 2012 TIGER Discretionary Program for three separate projects were not selected. However, an application for funding through the High Speed Rail Corridor Program was successful. This funding, combined with a previous 1103(c) grant, will be used to improve the signal and safety systems at two at grade crossings along Amtrak s Texas Eagle route in Round Rock, which is part of the federally designated South Central High Speed Rail corridor. Outlook The Rail Division with continue to proactively work with various stakeholders around the State through the Statewide Rail Steering Committee and the Passenger Rail Steering Committee. The primary purpose of both committees is to engage stakeholders throughout the State and leverage their expertise. Collaboration with both groups will continue to promote transparency of the activities of the Rail Division s on going projects and to allow constructive feedback to be considered in improving their end products. The Rail Division has also initiated a Peer Review committee comprised of four national industry experts that will provide insight and assistance to the efforts in advancing development of highspeed rail service within the State. The FRA GCA for the Trinity Railway Express Valley View Double Track project is expected to be executed. The Statewide Ridership Modeling program and the construction of the BNSF Signal Timing project will be completed near the end of 2013. With the anticipated improvements in trip time performance for Amtrak s Heartland Flyer, ridership is expected to continue to increase which, in turn, may reduce the required annual subsidy provided by the State to Amtrak. The State s subsidy to Amtrak for the Heartland Flyer service in 2012 was $2,100,000. A focus on all passenger rail projects will continue during 2013. Both of the grant funded projects, the Dallas Fort Worth to Houston and Oklahoma City to South Texas, are expected to be fully underway. On March 1, 2012, TxDOT and Amtrak in coordination with the East Texas Corridor Council began a passenger rail feasibility study for new Amtrak service between Dallas Fort Worth and the Bossier City Shreveport, Louisiana, area along the I 20 corridor. The study will analyze potential schedules, train
6 operating costs, revenue and ridership, railcar and locomotive requirements, and capital needs for route infrastructure improvements. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in November 2013. Collaboration with the freight railroads and their efforts in improving their rail network while minimizing impacts to various modes of public transportation will also continue. Construction of the Tower 55 project is expected to begin in 2013 and continue for approximately two years. The Rail Division will oversee the project for compliance with its agreement with the FRA, as well as each of the railroads. The Belt Junction project construction, with 50% funding from the railroads, will also begin in 2013, pending execution of agreement with GCRD. The Rail Division will remain proactive with TXPF with planned improvements along the South Orient Railroad. TXPF predicts that traffic along the SORR will double in 2013 due to the expansion and development of oil, gas, and energy facilities in West Texas. Existing businesses, such as Hirschfeld Energy Corporation, and new businesses, such as EOG Resources, Enertrade and West Texas Transloading, locating along the rail line are anticipated to support rail traffic growth and provide positive economic impact to the area. The increased traffic is expected to produce a second straight year with an operating profit for this line. The El Paso Phase II Freight Study will also be completed in 2013. The results are expected to assist the District and Rail Division in evaluating the impacts of increased rail traffic on the region, and to identify key investments that will assist in mitigating those impacts. These investments will be added to a statewide list of improvement projects to be prioritized within 2013. As always, safety remains paramount in all of our efforts. Section 130 funding will continue to be effectively utilized in improving conditions at at grade crossings around the State, with a high priority to those identified in the implementation schedule within the Texas Highway Rail Grade Crossing Safety Action Plan. The Rail Division commits to continuing efforts to educate, evaluate, enforce, and engineer in order to reduce the number of incidents, injuries and deaths at at grade crossings. The Texas Railroad Information Management System (TRIMS) will be completed in 2013 and will improve the accuracy, consistency and accessibility to highway rail crossing data, as well as the efficiency in prioritizing crossing improvement projects. The Rail Division is also refining the Texas Rail Inspection Plan (TRIP) that will establish a process to prioritize inspection activities based on risk assessment and analysis of historical data. The goal of this more proactive approach is to reduce rail incidents and accidents and to focus inspection efforts at high risk locations. The FRA has expressed an interest in adopting this approach with other participating states. Our inspectors and investigators will continue to work safely and diligently to identify and improve safety issues along the rail system with a goal of retaining our status with the FRA as having the top State Rail Safety Participation Program. Lastly, the Rail Division will be updating the required State Safety Oversight (SSO) Program. Findings from the 2012 Federal Transit Administration audit will be addressed and state statutes will be updated to align with MAP 21 requirements. Consultant support will be solicited with the objective of completing the update by October 2013.