2008 New York State Rail Plan State of New York Working Draft June 2008 New York State Department of Transportation DAVID A. PATERSON, Governor ASTRID C. GLYNN, Commissioner THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 CHAPTER 1 – STATE RAIL VISION, GOALS, OBJECTIVES 1 AND STRATEGIES 1.1 Role of Railroads in New York State 1 1.2 Vision of Rail Transportation in New York State 4 1.3 Goals, Objectives and Strategies for Rail Service in New York State 7 CHAPTER 2 – PLAN PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY 15 2.1 Purposes of the State Rail Plan 15 2.2 State and Federal Legislative and Planning Requirements 16 CHAPTER 3 – THE RAIL SYSTEM IN NEW YORK STATE 23 3.1 Overview of New York State’s Rail Network 23 3.2 Summary History of Railroads in New York State 26 3.3 National Rail Industry Developments 26 3.4 Recent Rail System Changes Impacting New York 29 3.5 Rail Freight System Needs 31 CHAPTER 4 – FREIGHT RAIL 35 4.1 The Freight Rail Network in New York State 35 4.2 Freight Activity, Traffic Density, and Service Description 39 4.3 Freight Terminals, Intermodal Facilities, and Major Yards 53 4.4 Rail System Asset Condition: Freight Rail Service 56 4.5 Rail Line Abandonments: Recent, Proposed, and/or At-Risk Lines 59 4.6 Corridor and Freight Planning Efforts 61 4.7 Rail Freight System Issues and Needs 66 CHAPTER 5 – INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL 79 5.1 The Intercity Passenger Rail Network in New York State 79 5.2 Existing Passenger Rail Services, Stations, and Routes 80 5.3 Passenger Rail Intermodal Facilities 84 5.4 Route Ownership/Facility Assets/Conflicts 86 5.5 Intercity Passenger Rail Service Performance 89 5.6 Rail System Asset Condition: Intercity Passenger Service 93 5.7 Passenger Rail Issues at International Border Crossings 94 5.8 Intercity Passenger Rail Studies in New York State 95 5.9 Intercity Passenger Rail Issues and Needs in New York State 96 5.10 Northeast Corridor 100 5.11 National Issues & Implications for New York State 101 CHAPTER 6 – COMMUTER RAIL 105 6.1 The Commuter Rail Networks of New York State 105 6.2 Existing Commuter Rail Services, Ridership, and Performance 107 6.3 Commuter Rail Intermodal Facilities and Connections 108 6.4 Rail System Asset Condition For the Commuter Rail 110 6.5 Commuter Rail System Issues and Needs 113 i 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 CHAPTER 7 – RAIL SAFETY AND SECURITY 119 7.1 Rail Safety 119 7.2 Rail Security 126 7.3 Rail Safety Issues 129 7.4 Rail Security Issues 130 CHAPTER 8 – ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT 131 8.1 Energy 132 8.2 Air Quality 135 8.3 Land Use and Community Impacts 139 8.4 Congestion Mitigation 141 CHAPTER 9 – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 143 9.1 Economic Development and Transportation 143 9.2 Programs that Support Economic Development 144 9.3 Rail Line Preservation, Revitalization, and Strategic Enhancement 146 9.4 Cross Border Trade 150 CHAPTER 10 – PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND OUTREACH PROCESS 153 10.1 Public Participation and Input 153 10.2 Railroads, Shippers, and Industry Trade Associations 153 10.3 Intergovernmental, Regional Transportation Authorities, and MPOs 153 CHAPTER 11 –RAIL FUNDING AND FINANCE OPTIONS 155 11.1 New York State’s Rail Capital Improvement Programs 155 11.2 Federal Funding Programs Available for Rail 157 11.3 Rail Funding Programs In Other States 160 11.4 Other Finance Options for Rail System Improvements 162 ii 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY iii 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY iv Executive Summary 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction The 2008 New York State Rail Plan, the State’s first in 22-years, will be finished later this year. It will present a proposed 20-year plan for the state’s rail system (through 2030) and describe a set of strategies and initiatives aimed at restoring rail transportation so that it can effectively fulfill its critical role in the state’s multimodal transportation network. This working draft report describes the goals and key principles that will underlie that plan. It also begins to lay out some of the opportunities and challenges to be faced by presenting an inventory of the freight and passenger rail system in New York, trends in usage, rail freight and passenger service needs, available funding programs, and a description of the benefits of rail to the economy and environment. NYSDOT is releasing this working draft both to encourage public consideration of the issues which the working draft raises and to stimulate input from stakeholders and concerned residents. The passenger and freight rail system in New York State provides mobility for people and goods in an energy efficient manner that is essential to the state’s economy and future economic development. The state’s rail system serves businesses and industries that create jobs for New Yorkers and transport many of the goods that they use each day. Our existing rail infrastructure must be maintained in a state of good repair in order to provide safe, efficient rail service now and into the future. Government must work together with private and public rail operators to make the strategic investments that will enable the freight and passenger rail system to enhance New York’s transportation network, reversing a past trend of disinvestment in rail transportation. In providing mobility, rail service also consumes less energy and reduces congestion and vehicle emissions compared to other modes of long distance travel, while supporting smart land use polices and environmental protection goals. In fact, a single intermodal freight train can remove as many as 280 trucks from the highway system while using significantly less energy than highway travel in the process. Railroads can move a ton of freight an average of 436 miles with each gallon of fuel. Intercity passenger rail uses 20% less energy per passenger mile travelled than automobiles and 17% less than airline travel. This working draft rail plan outlines what New York State’s rail system can achieve from a full, cooperative partnership between state, federal, and local governments; railroad operators; shippers; businesses; and rail passengers. ES - 1 Executive Summary 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 It presents suggested goals, objectives and strategies to implement the state’s proposed vision for improved and expanded freight and passenger service. 2020 Vision for Rail The state’s vision for intercity passenger and freight rail is a system that is the mode of choice for travelers and shippers, connecting the cities across New York State and connecting businesses to the national freight network. As the most energy efficient way to transport people and goods, an improved rail system makes the intermodal connections to allow seamless movement from origin to destination. The rail system of the future also supports sustainable economic growth throughout the state and helps New York State compete in the rapidly changing global economy. The vision for the freight rail system is an energy efficient transporter of long distance cargo with intermodal connections functioning seamlessly for local deliveries. Short line railroads provide efficient service to the state’s industries and shippers by providing connections to national and international markets and supporting an expanding state economy. The vision for intercity passenger rail is a reliable, frequent service that is competitive with the other intercity modes for intermediate travel distances and is connected to local and regional transit services. Between Albany and New York City, and in the Hudson Valley, intercity passenger rail is the mode of choice for travelers providing energy efficient service directly to Manhattan. West of Albany, intercity passenger rail is a viable alternative to other intercity modes. The intercity passenger rail system will also provide reliable connections from a new Moynihan Station in New York City to Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, and other large metropolitan areas in the northeast. Although this state rail plan will focus on a 20-year planning horizon, it also describes a more near-term vision for New York State’s rail system of 2020 that includes the following freight and intercity passenger elements – A freight rail system that: • Increases freight rail market share by 25%, reducing the growth in truck traffic and energy consumption; • Allows modern freight cars to access the New York metropolitan area and Long Island along the east of Hudson route, which eliminates more than 300,000 truck trips from the region’s highways each year; • Moves more freight across New York Harbor through the identified longer-term recommendations from the Cross Harbor Freight ES - 2 Executive Summary 2008 New York State Rail Plan Working Draft June 2008 Movement Project Environmental Impact Statement to be completed by PANYNJ; • Includes at least three new intermodal facilities/inland ports across the state serving the rapidly growing container segment of rail traffic, helping to remove long-haul trucks from the highways and delivering products to consumers quicker; • Has rail sidings, rail-truck transfer facilities, and “last mile” connections serving all rail terminals and shippers who need access to the rail network to facilitate economically competitive industry throughout New York State; • Transports hazardous commodities by rail taking advantage of the well-documented safety benefits of rail; and • Has the first “green” short line railroad industry locomotive fleet in the nation, having assisted the short lines in replacing current fleets with clean, energy-saving locomotives.