Connecticut State Rail Plan ______

2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ State of Connecticut Department of Transportation 2012-2016 Connecticut State Rail Plan Prepared by: BUREAU OF PUBLIC TRANSPORATION, OFFICE OF RAIL CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 50 UNION AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR WEST NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06519 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER 1 – STATE RAIL VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ................................. 9 1.1 MISSION STATEMENT, VISION, AND VALUES ...................................................................9 1.2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR RAIL SERVICE IN CONNECTICUT .................................. 10 CHAPTER 2 – FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATES ......................................................... 13 2.1 FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ............................................ 14 2.2 STATE LEGISLATION AND PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ................................................. 15 CHAPTER 3 – DESCRIPTION OF RAIL SYSTEM IN CONNECTICUT .......................... 18 3.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE RAIL SYSTEM.................................................................. 18 3.2 HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT RAILROADS - SUMMARY ................................................... 20 CHAPTER 4 – COMMUTER PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK ......................................... 23 4.1 INVENTORY OF COMMUTER RAIL NETWORK ................................................................ 24 4.2 COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE OVERVIEW .......................................................................... 26 4.3 COMMUTER RAIL FACILITIES, SYSTEMS, AND EQUIPMENT .......................................... 27 4.4 COMMUTER RAIL ASSET CONDITION AND NEEDS......................................................... 38 4.5 STUDIES AND SERVICE EXPANSION PLANNING ............................................................ 46 4.6 INITIATION OF SERVICE AND NEW STATION PLANNING ................................................ 50 CHAPTER 5 – INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK ............................................ 58 5.1 INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE OVERVIEW ...................................................... 58 5.2 INVENTORY OF INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL NETWORK ............................................. 59 5.3 INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL FACILITIES ...................................................................... 62 5.4 INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL ASSET CONDITION AND NEEDS ..................................... 62 5.5 NORTHEAST CORRIDOR AND HIGH-SPEED RAIL AND PLANNING ................................. 63 CHAPTER 6 – FREIGHT RAIL NETWORK.......................................................................... 68 6.1 FREIGHT RAIL SERVICE OVERVIEW AND FACILITIES .................................................... 68 6.2 INVENTORY OF FREIGHT RAIL NETWORK ..................................................................... 75 6.3 FREIGHT RAIL ASSET CONDITION AND NEEDS.............................................................. 82 6.4 FREIGHT RAIL OPERATORS’ CONCERNS....................................................................... 91 6.5 RAIL LINE ABANDONMENTS AND REOPENINGS ............................................................ 94 6.6 REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY AND CORRIDOR PLANNING ................................................ 95 CHAPTER 7 - INTERMODAL RAIL CONNECTIONS AND FACILITIES ........................ 98 7.1 MAJOR PASSENGER RAIL INTERMODAL CONNECTIONS AND FACILITIES .................... 99 7.2 MAJOR FREIGHT RAIL INTERMODAL CONNECTIONS AND FACILITIES ........................ 103 CHAPTER 8 – ECONOMIC IMPACT AND DEVELOPMENT..........................................112 8.1 REVIEW OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND PLANNING DATA ....................................... 112 8.2 ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF RAIL ...................................................................................... 119 8.3 MODELING CONNECTICUT WITHOUT RAIL TRANSPORT ............................................. 124 CHAPTER 9 – ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ................................................................127 9.1 ENERGY USE ................................................................................................................ 128 9.2 AIR QUALITY ................................................................................................................. 129 9.3 LAND USE AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS ........................................................................ 133 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 10 - SAFETY AND SECURITY .........................................................................137 10.1 RAIL SAFETY ................................................................................................................ 137 10.2 SECURING THE RAIL SYSTEM ...................................................................................... 143 CHAPTER 11 – LONG-RANGE SERVICE AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS .............................................................................................................................150 11.1 INVESTMENT STRATEGIES .......................................................................................... 150 11.2 NEAR –TERM ACTIONS ................................................................................................. 153 CHAPTER 12 – PUBLIC FUNDING FOR RAIL PROJECTS AND SERVICES ...........156 12.1 CAPITAL PLANNING PROCESS ..................................................................................... 156 12.2 FEDERAL RAIL PROGRAM FUNDING ............................................................................ 157 12.3 STATE RAIL PROGRAM FUNDING ................................................................................. 158 12.4 FREIGHT CAPITAL INVESTMENT PROGRAM ................................................................ 167 CHAPTER 13 – PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF COMMUTER RAIL ...................170 CHAPTER 14 – PLAN OUTREACH AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.......................179 APPENDIX A - LONG-RANGE SERVICE AND INVESTMENT PROGRAM FUNDING TABLES.....................................................................................................................................184 APPENDIX B - LONG RANGE SERVICE AND INVESTMENT PROGRAM PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS.......................................................................................................................219 APPENDIX C - LIST OF ACRONYMS .................................................................................256 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Growth Management Principles in Conservation & Development Policies Plan ........ 16 Figure 2. Development Area Policies (In order of priority) .......................................................... 16 Figure 3. Conservation Area Policies (In order of priority) .......................................................... 16 Figure 4. Connecticut Rail Ownership and Service Map ............................................................ 19 Figure 5. Passenger Rail Services in the State........................................................................... 23 Figure 6. Operating Statistics ...................................................................................................... 27 Figure 7. New Haven Line - Main Line Parking Statistics ........................................................... 29 Figure 8. New Haven Line - Branch Lines Parking Statistics ..................................................... 30 Figure 9. Shore Line East Parking Statistics ............................................................................... 31 Figure 10. Connecticut Railroad Bridge Inventory ...................................................................... 34 Figure 11. Connecticut-Owned Rail Rolling Stock Unit Summary .............................................. 35 Figure 12. M-8 Rail Car Photograph ........................................................................................... 36 Figure 13. Bride Condition Ratings.............................................................................................. 44 Figure 14. Railroad Bridge Condition Rating by Location ........................................................... 44 Figure 15. Average Age of Connecticut-Owned Rail Fleet in 2010 ............................................ 45 Figure 16. NHHS Corridor Map ................................................................................................... 51 Figure 17. NHHS Map - Regional Connectivity ........................................................................... 54 Figure 18. Amtrak Ridership in Connecticut by Station .............................................................. 58 Figure 19. Amtrak Acela Service (photograph) ........................................................................... 59 Figure 20. NEC Core Network and Feeder Lines ......................................................................

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