DRAFT 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK Page 1 DRAFT 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 Page 2 DRAFT 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 .................................................... 51 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 Page 3 DRAFT 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 Page 4 DRAFT 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