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NYS Senate HSR Task January 4, 2006 Dear Senator Bruno and Task Force Members, On June 29, 2005, we were challenged to “develop an adequate high speed rail system that can effectively move people and products between cities in New York State and the nation’s economic centers in order to grow businesses and create jobs and opportunities.” The action plan was to be completed in six months or less. While the task was formidable, the potential rewards were compelling and in the public interest. The accompaniment of our report with this letter is the result of a collaborative effort between private sector and public officials. Working from temporary offices at the Albany-Rensselaer Railroad Station, the group drew expertise from many transportation professionals as well as a cross section of railroad officials. This team of industry experts spent many productive hours examining existing conditions, agreements, and overall governance to determine options for both short- and long-term improvement to New York State’s rail system. I am proud of the enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment of this group and on their behalf I thank you for your confidence. We are available for further discussion or follow through on implementation of our recommendations. Sincerely, John C. Egan Executive Director New York State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force Intentionally blank Empire Corridor Action Program Summary Program A B C D E Total Phase 2006 2009 2013 2013 2015 Improvements and Benefits NYC to • Initial • Additional • New • 3 non-stop • Double 46% Albany Express Express service to Express current Train Train-2hrs Schen- Trains service to ectady & 23 daily • New • Purchase • New Saratoga trains Agreement CSXT right- operations with Amtrak of-way Springs and • Achieve • Track, • Stations, service 95% on- signal, parking & schedule time capacity access service Albany to • New • Remove • Additional • New • Additional 19% Buffalo/ Agreement key service to sidings & service Niagara with CSXT bottlenecks Syracuse crossover between Falls & repair • Initiate tracks, Albany & Livingston grade Buffalo station Ave. Bridge improve- crossings • Achieve • Improve ments 90% on- on-time time service service to 70+% Equipment Additional refurbished cars 20 ”New York Car” trainsets 35% Annual 1.14 1.33 1.90 2.47 2.96 Ridership +17% +67% +117% +160% (millions) Total Costs (millions 2005 $) Capital $22 $516 $407 $412 $444 $1.801 Annual -$45 -$39 -$20 -$26 +$0.4 by 2025 Operating Cost to NYS With Federal Partnership Strategy (millions 2005 $) Capital* $10 $81 $259 $228 $222 $0.800 Annual** -$30 to -$39 -$24 to -$33 -$5 to -$14 -$11 to -$20 +$6.8 by 2025 Operating * 80/20 Federal/NYS contribution for deferred projects & “state of good repair”: 50/50 for new capacity & reliability projects. ** Federal responsibility for interstate & international trains; NYS for intrastate trains. Benefit detail page 2-15. Intentionally blank Acknowledgements New York State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force Joseph L. Bruno Senator Frank Padavan Senator William Larkin Senate Majority Leader (R-C, Bellerose) (R-C, Cornwall on Hudson) Senator Dean Skelos Senator Michael Nozzolio Senator Nicholas Spano (R, Rockville Centre) (R-C, Fayette) (R-C, Westchester) Senator Thomas Libous Senator Charles Fuschillo Senator John D. Sabini (R-C, Binghamton) (R-C, Merrick) (D, Queens) David A. Paterson Senator John Flanagan Senator George D. Maziarz Senate Minority Leader (R-C, East Northport) (R-C, Wheatfield) Senator Caesar Trunzo Senator Joseph Robach (R, Brentwood) (R-C-I-WF, Rochester) Senator Owen Johnson Senator James L. Seward (R-C, Babylon) (R-C-I, Oneonta) High Speed Rail Action Program Consultant Team Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. Integrated Strategic Resources, William (Al) Wallace, RPI CRA International, Inc. Inc. Donald Nelson, Consultant Creighton Manning Engineering, Whiteman, Osterman & Hanna, Henry Peyrebrune, Consultant LLP L.L.P. Jack Reilly, Consultant Participating Stakeholders Albany Port Railroad O’Connell, Director of Community Ministere des Transport du Corporation: Richard M. Stack, Relations Quebec (MTQ): Serge Routhier, General Manager Empire State Passengers Rail Analyst Amtrak: Drew Galloway, Director Association: Bruce B. Becker, NYSDOT: John Guinan, Director of Planning and Analysis; Peter President of Customer and Stakeholder Cohen, Director of Government GBNRTC: Hal Morse, Executive Relations; Steve Slavick, Director Affairs; James F. Turngren, Director of Policy and Strategic Planning; District Superintendent GTC: Richard Perrin, Executive John Reed, Director of Rail Canadian Pacific Railway (CP): Director Passenger Service Evaluation Section; Anthony Torre, Director, Stephen Fisk, Senior Business Hudson River Estuary Program: Highway Data Services Bureau Manager Beth Waterman, Information CDTA: Steve Bland, Executive Officer SMTC: Charles Poltenson, Senior Intermodal Planner Director Metro North: Howard Permut, CDTC: John Poorman, Staff Cooperation by all stakeholders served as Vice President of Planning and a valuable and timely input to the Task Director Development; John Kennard, Force efforts. The recommendations CSXT: John Gibson, Vice Director of Capital and Long- contained in this report are those of the President for Operations Range Planning Senate Task Force. Participation by the Stakeholders does not imply their or their Research and Planning; Maurice respective agency’s concurrence or endorsement of the recommendations. New York State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force Staff John Egan, Executive Director Louise Alessi, Executive Assistant Carla Chiaro, Administrative Director Jim Cartin, Consultant to the Task Force page i Table of Contents Acknowledgements................................................................................................ i Table of Contents.................................................................................................. ii Glossary................................................................................................................iii Executive Summary 1. Introduction 1.1 Background.................................................................................................1-2 1.2 Task Force Vision, Goals, and Objectives .............................................1-16 1.3 The Empire Rail Corridor Today and Tomorrow ...................................1-23 2. Long- and Short-Range Improvement Programs 2.1 A Future Integrated Statewide Rail Network............................................2-2 2.2 Empire Corridor Incremental Improvements .........................................2-11 2.3 Program Summary and Costs.................................................................2-83 3. Transportation, Economic, and Development Benefits 3.1 Ridership and Service Quality...................................................................3-2 3.2 Economic Impact and Development Potential ......................................3-11 3.3 Impacts to Owners and Operators..........................................................3-20 3.4 Environmental and Other Impacts..........................................................3-22 3.5 Revenue, Cost, and Benefits Analysis ...................................................3-27 4. Implementation Strategy 4.1 Institutional Arrangements........................................................................4-2 4.2 Funding and Financing..............................................................................4-8 4.3 Overview of Implementation Schedule ..................................................4-18 4.4 Next Steps Forward – Action Agenda ....................................................4-24 4.5 Recommendations...................................................................................4-26 page ii Glossary ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): HSGT (High Speed Ground Federal legislation that prohibits Transportation): intercity passenger discrimination based on disability. ground transportation, by steel wheel Criteria for accessibility of new rail station railroad or magnetic levitation, that is or rail equipment projects stem from this time-competitive with air and/or auto for legislation. travel markets in the range of 100 to 500 miles. Amtrak: intercity passenger rail service operator. LAB (Livingston Avenue Bridge): rail bridge over the Hudson River at Albany CP (Canadian Pacific Railway): rail freight that is used by Empire Corridor operator of the former Delaware & passenger service. Hudson Lines. LIRR (Long Island Rail Road): commuter CP (control point): a location with a name rail service operator between New York or numeric designation that dispatchers Penn Station and points on Long Island. can reference when controlling trains. Numbered Control Points generally Maglev (magnetic levitation): electrically conform to the nearest milepost (see MP powered transportation system that uses below). magnetic forces to elevate and propel vehicles operating on a fully dedicated CSXT (CSX Transportation): rail freight guideway at speeds in excess of 200 operator. CSXT generally owns the mph. Empire Corridor right-of-way between Poughkeepsie and Buffalo that was Metro North: commuter rail service formerly owned by Conrail. operator. In the Empire Corridor, Metro- North’s Hudson Line service operates FRA (Federal Railroad Administration): a between Poughkeepsie and New York division of the U.S. Department of City. Transportation. This agency has jurisdiction over Class I railroads such as MP (mile post): distance along a rail line CSXT (see above), CP (see
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