Tier 1 EIS Alternatives Report October 2015 Amended TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 DOCUMENT PURPOSE .............................................................................................................................. 3 2. Alternatives Development Process Overview .................................................................. 5 2.1 INITIAL ALTERNATIVES ............................................................................................................................. 7 2.2 PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................................. 8 2.3 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE AND ACTION ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................... 9 3. Technology ........................................................................................................................ 12 4. Alternatives Refinement ................................................................................................... 14 4.1 SERVICE PLANNING ................................................................................................................................ 15 4.1.1 Service Plans ....................................................................................................................................................... 16 4.1.2 Service Types ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 4.1.3 Rolling Stock ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 4.1.4 Enhanced Service Concepts ................................................................................................................................ 19 4.1.5 Freight Rail ........................................................................................................................................................... 25 4.2 RIDERSHIP ............................................................................................................................................... 25 4.2.1 Integration of the Interregional and Regional Forecasts ...................................................................................... 25 4.2.2 Interregional Markets ............................................................................................................................................ 26 4.2.3 Regional Markets ................................................................................................................................................. 31 4.2.4 Model Inputs and Assumptions ............................................................................................................................ 32 4.2.5 Model Outputs ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 4.3 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS .......................................................................................... 35 4.4 CAPITAL COSTS ...................................................................................................................................... 36 4.4.1 Linear Elements ................................................................................................................................................... 36 4.4.2 Supporting Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................................... 38 4.5 STAKEHOLDER AND PUBLIC OUTREACH ............................................................................................. 39 4.5.1 State Transportation Agencies and Railroad Operators ....................................................................................... 40 4.5.2 Public Open Houses ............................................................................................................................................. 40 5. North End Route Options Evaluation .............................................................................. 41 5.1 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................................... 43 5.2 ROUTE OPTIONS BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND HARTFORD ........................................................ 44 5.3 ROUTE OPTIONS BETWEEN HARTFORD AND BOSTON ..................................................................... 48 5.4 FINDINGS .................................................................................................................................................. 51 6. Characteristics of the No Action and Action Alternatives ............................................. 54 6.1 MARKETS ................................................................................................................................................. 54 6.1.1 Stations ................................................................................................................................................................ 55 6.2 REPRESENTATIVE ROUTE ..................................................................................................................... 56 6.3 SERVICE PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 56 6.4 INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 57 7. No Action Alternative ........................................................................................................ 58 7.1 MARKETS ................................................................................................................................................. 59 Tier 1 EIS Alternatives Report 1 7.2 REPRESENTATIVE ROUTE ..................................................................................................................... 59 7.3 SERVICE PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 59 7.4 INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 62 8. Alternative 1 ....................................................................................................................... 63 8.1 MARKETS ................................................................................................................................................. 63 8.2 REPRESENTATIVE ROUTE ..................................................................................................................... 63 8.3 SERVICE PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 63 8.4 INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 64 8.4.1 Chokepoint Relief Projects ................................................................................................................................... 64 8.4.2 New Track ............................................................................................................................................................ 65 8.4.3 New Segment ....................................................................................................................................................... 65 9. Alternative 2 ....................................................................................................................... 67 9.1 MARKETS ................................................................................................................................................. 67 9.2 REPRESENTATIVE ROUTE ..................................................................................................................... 69 9.3 SERVICE PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 69 9.4 INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS .............................................................................................................. 69 9.4.1 Chokepoint Relief Projects ................................................................................................................................... 70 9.4.2 New Track ............................................................................................................................................................ 70 9.4.3 New Segment ....................................................................................................................................................... 71 10. Alternative 3 ......................................................................................................................