Boston to Montreal High- Speed Rail Planning and Feasibility Study Phase I Final Report prepared for Vermont Agency of Transportation New Hampshire Department of Transportation Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas with Cambridge Systematics Fitzgerald and Halliday HNTB, Inc. KKO and Associates April 2003 final report Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Planning and Feasibility Study Phase I prepared for Vermont Agency of Transportation New Hampshire Department of Transportation Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas with Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Fitzgerald and Halliday HNTB, Inc. KKO and Associates April 2003 Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... ES-1 E.1 Background and Purpose of the Study ............................................................... ES-1 E.2 Study Overview...................................................................................................... ES-1 E.3 Ridership Analysis................................................................................................. ES-8 E.4 Government and Policy Issues............................................................................. ES-12 E.5 Conclusion............................................................................................................... ES-12 1.0 Introduction and Background..................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Purpose of the Study.............................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Study Overview...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.3 Description & Definition of High Speed Rail..................................................... 1-3 1.4 History of High Speed Ground Transportation in the U.S. ............................. 1-5 1.5 Designated High Speed Rail Corridors............................................................... 1-5 1.6 History of the Boston to Montreal Corridor....................................................... 1-6 1.7 Public Involvement and Outreach....................................................................... 1-9 2.0 BMHSR Corridor Overview........................................................................................ 2-1 2.1 Historic and Current Use of the Right of Way................................................... 2-3 2.2 Description of the Proposed BMHSR Corridor ................................................. 2-21 3.0 Ridership Analysis........................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Train Operations Planning and Modeling.......................................................... 3-1 3.2 Market Analysis..................................................................................................... 3-9 3.3 Model Analysis and Ridership Estimates........................................................... 3-43 4.0 Government and Policy Issues ................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Introduction and Background.............................................................................. 4-1 4.2 National Environmental Laws and Regulations................................................ 4-2 4.3 State and Quebec Laws and Regulations............................................................ 4-5 4.4 U.S./Canadian Customs and Immigration Issues............................................. 4-11 4.5 Existing Amtrak Services ...................................................................................... 4-16 4.6 Railroad Laws and Regulations ........................................................................... 4-18 4.7 Security Considerations........................................................................................ 4-20 4.8 Funding Issues for U.S./Canadian Joint Projects.............................................. 4-21 4.9 Summary of Government and Policy Issues ...................................................... 4-22 7149.001 i Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study Table of Contents (continued) 5.0 Findings........................................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Current and Potential BMHSR Corridor Operations........................................ 5-1 5.2 Potential Ridership................................................................................................. 5-2 5.3 Government and Policy Issues............................................................................. 5-5 5.4 National Trends in Passenger Rail....................................................................... 5-5 5.5 Conclusion............................................................................................................... 5-6 Appendix A Trip Tables for Service Scenarios.................................................................................. A-1 ii 7149.001 Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study List of Tables E.1 – 2025 Summary Table of BMHSR Ridership ............................................................... ES-11 2.1 – Boston-Montreal 1910 Service Schedule ..................................................................... 2-3 2.2 – Boston to Montreal 1926 Service Schedule ................................................................. 2-4 2.3 – Boston to Montreal 1961 Service Schedule ................................................................. 2-4 2.4 – BMHSR Corridor Mileage by Operator ...................................................................... 2-5 2.5 – BMHSR Corridor Mileage by Owner.......................................................................... 2-5 2.6 – Locations Operated by CN ........................................................................................... 2-7 2.7 – Locations Operated by NECR ...................................................................................... 2-10 2.8 – Spring 2002 Vermonter Timetable ............................................................................... 2-11 2.9 – Locations Operated by CCRR ...................................................................................... 2-12 2.10 – BMHSR Corridor Mileage in the Abandoned Segment.......................................... 2-15 2.11 – Locations Operated by NEGS..................................................................................... 2-15 2.12 – GRS Operated Route Mileage..................................................................................... 2-18 2.13 – Locations Operated by MBTA.................................................................................... 2-19 2.14 – Maximum Speed and Curvature for Non-tilting Train Equipment ..................... 2-25 2.15 – Grade Crossing Types and Warning Devices .......................................................... 2-26 2.16 – Assumed Treatment of Grade Crossings.................................................................. 2-27 2.17 – Locations of Right of Way Width Less than 64 Feet................................................ 2-29 2.18 – Locations with Grades Greater than One Percent ................................................... 2-30 2.19 – BMHSR Corridor Segment Summary ....................................................................... 2-30 2.20 – BMHSR Existing Conditions – Geometry Summary .............................................. 2-32 2.21 – BMHSR Corridor Existing Conditions – Signals and Controls Summary........... 2-34 iii Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study List of Tables (continued) 2.22 – FRA Track Classifications ........................................................................................... 2-35 2.23 – BMHSR Existing Conditions – Speed Summary ..................................................... 2-35 2.24 – Primary and Secondary Conceptual Station Locations .......................................... 2-40 2.25 – Conceptual Station Type and Criteria....................................................................... 2-41 3.1 – FRA Track Classifications Maximum Operating Speeds ......................................... 3-3 3.2 – Potential Station Stops................................................................................................... 3-5 3.3 – Initial Conceptual Service Plan .................................................................................... 3-6 3.4 – TPC Simulation – Low Speed Scenario....................................................................... 3-7 3.5 – TPC Simulation – Middle Speed Scenario.................................................................. 3-8 3.6 – TPC Simulation – High Speed Scenario...................................................................... 3-8 3.7 – Population and Employment ....................................................................................... 3-11 3.8 – Daily Traffic Volumes at Locations between Boston and Montreal ....................... 3-13 3.9 – Vermont Transit Intercity Bus Service in the BMHSR Corridor.............................. 3-15 3.10 – Concord Trailways Intercity Bus Service in the BMHSR Corridor....................... 3-16