Freight Integration Analysis August 17, 2006
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South Florida East Coast Rail Corridor Transit Analysis Final DRAFT Technical Memorandum Task 2.20: Freight Integration Analysis August 17, 2006 Prepared for: Florida Department of Transportation Prepared by: Boston, Massachusetts Under Contract to: Miami, Florida [This Page Intentionally Blank.] Operating Alternatives for Freight Traffic Dade to Palm – SFECC Study Final DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 4 2. Summary of Findings..................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 SFRC Freight Spine ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Western Bypass................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Comparative Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 10 2.3.1 Freight Operations and Train Movements...................................................................................... 10 2.3.2 New Infrastructure Required......................................................................................................... 11 2.3.3 Highway Safety ............................................................................................................................ 12 2.3.4 Economics.................................................................................................................................... 13 2.3.5 Competitive and Institutional Concerns......................................................................................... 13 3. The Status Quo............................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 The FEC Mainline ............................................................................................................................ 15 3.1.1 Freight Operations and Train Movements...................................................................................... 15 3.1.2 Infrastructure Needs...................................................................................................................... 20 3.1.3 Highway Safety ............................................................................................................................ 21 3.1.4 Economics.................................................................................................................................... 22 3.2 The SFRC Mainline........................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1 Freight Operations and Train Movements...................................................................................... 23 3.2.2 Infrastructure Needs...................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.3 Highway Safety ............................................................................................................................ 25 3.2.4 Economics.................................................................................................................................... 26 3.3 Status Quo Competitive and Institutional Concerns........................................................................... 27 3.3.1 Competition.................................................................................................................................. 27 3.3.2 Institutional................................................................................................................................... 28 4. SFRC Freight Spine ..................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Freight Operations and Train Movements......................................................................................... 30 4.2 Infrastructure Needs ......................................................................................................................... 44 4.3 Highway Safety................................................................................................................................. 46 4.4 Economics ........................................................................................................................................ 48 4.5 Competitive and Institutional Considerations.................................................................................... 52 4.6 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 53 5. The Western Bypass (WBP)......................................................................................................... 54 5.1 Freight Operations and Train Movements......................................................................................... 54 5.2 Infrastructure Needs ......................................................................................................................... 57 5.3 Highway safety ................................................................................................................................. 61 5.4 Economics ........................................................................................................................................ 62 5.5 Competition and Institutional Concerns ............................................................................................ 64 5.6 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................... 65 Appendix A: Train Pathing Concepts................................................................................................... 68 Appendix B: Analysis of Relief Crews................................................................................................. 70 Appendix C: Competitive Market Balance Between FEC and CSX...................................................... 74 Appendix D: Written Comments Reveiced from Stakeholders ............................................................. 75 Appendix E and F: Stringlines for the SFRC Spine and for the Proposed Western Bypass ................... 77 Edwards and Kelcey Page 3 of 86 – 8/17/2006 Operating Alternatives for Freight Traffic Dade to Palm – SFECC Study Final DRAFT TASK 2.20 FREIGHT INTEGRATION ANALYSIS 1. INTRODUCTION To support the development and evaluation of passenger transportation service alternatives along the SFECC, a narrowly defined freight integration analysis has been prepared for the FEC and SFRC/CSXT corridors. The primary objective of the freight integration analysis is to identify and explore options available to shift or restructure freight operations in the event that proposed passenger services present substantial conflicts with current and future freight use of the lines. The analysis considers the physical, operational, competitive, economic and institutional viability of configuring the region’s rail freight network in several ways. Three scenarios/options are presented in this document. 1. Status Quo – No substantial change in SFRC/CSXT and FEC rights and networks. Maintain the FEC and SFRC/CSXT railways as two independent freight corridors, similar to current conditions. 2. SFRC Freight Spine – Improve connections between FEC and SFRC/CSXT to allow through mainline FEC operations between Miami and Palm Beach to be shifted to the SFRC/CSXT line while maintaining access to FEC yards, ports and FEC online customers. 3. Western Bypass (WBP) – Develop a new freight rail route along the Route 27 right of way. The new route would be used by all through freights to and from CSXT and FEC Hialeah yards. All scenarios assume that SFRTA’s present plans for increased passenger service and capacity on the SFRC would remain in force. At this point in the analysis, no passenger operations on the FEC or substantial changes in intercity rail service are assumed. For all integration scenarios the analysis assumes that mainlines freed from through freight operations would be maintained in a manner that would allow freight carriers to temporarily shift operations onto the line as backup in the event of a line blockage or other emergency. Edwards and Kelcey Page 4 of 86 – 8/17/2006 Operating Alternatives for Freight Traffic Dade to Palm – SFECC Study Final DRAFT For the purposes of this analysis, the SFRC refers to the former Seaboard Air Line (SAL) alignment through southern Florida between Mileposts SX 1036.5 and SX 965.0, a point near the south end of CSXT Dyer siding. The CSXT mainline refers to the SAL alignment north of that point, from SX 965.0 north to Jacksonville and beyond. The FEC mainline is the entire 371• mile alignment between FEC’s Hialeah Yard and FEC’s Bowden Yard in Jacksonville. SFECC refers to a segment of the FEC between downtown Miami on the Miami Port Industrial Lead (Milepost PL 6.2), Little River Junction (Milepost 360.7 on the mainline), and Jupiter, Fla. in Northern Palm Beach County (MP 283.3). The Western Bypass (WBP) is a proposed extension between 116th Way and South Bay, Fla., via Andytown, Deem City, and Okeelanta along the U.S. Route 27 corridor. This proposed new route connects to the