Delaware State Rail Plan FINAL Acknowledgements DelDOT would like to recognize the following individuals for their contributions as a Stakeholder in this Plan’s development: Name Company Jeffrey Gerlach AMTRAK David Blankenship City of Wilmington Sharon Daboin CSX Jeffrey Stone Delaware Office of Economic Development Roberta Geier Delaware Department of Transportation Gregory Oliver Delaware Department of Transportation Dwayne Day Delaware Department of Transportation David Campbell Delaware Transit Corporation Kennard Potts Delaware Transit Corporation Albert Loyola Delaware Transit Corporation Cathy Smith Delaware Transit Corporation James Galvin Dover Kent MPO Daniel Wolfensberger Kent Economic Partnership, Inc. Jeannie Fazio Maryland Department of Transportation Debbie Bowden Maryland Department of Transportation Nicole Katsikides Maryland Department of Transportation Karl Kalbacher New Castle County Rick Crawford Norfolk Southern Herb Inden Office of State Planning Coordination David Edgell Office of State Planning Coordination Bryan Hall Office of State Planning Coordination Julie Wheatley Sussex County Economic Development Office Byron Comati SEPTA Harry Garforth SEPTA Hal Godwin Sussex County Dave Gula WILMAPCO Daniel Blevins WILMAPCO Foster Nichols Parsons Brinckerhoff John Baesch Parsons Brinckerhoff Joseph Gurskis Parsons Brinckerhoff Anna Lynn Smith Parsons Brinckerhoff Stephanie Jackson Parsons Brinckerhoff Len Usvyat Parsons Brinckerhoff Stephen Bassford S.L. Bassford and Associates Delaware State Rail Plan FINAL Table of Contents 1 HISTORY – THE STATE’S INVOLVEMENT IN RAIL................................................................... 1-1 2 INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE OF DELAWARE STATE RAIL PLAN ........................................... 2-1 2.1 SRP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS....................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 FEDERAL COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................... 2-3 SRP Review and Endorsement .................................................................................................................. 2-3 State Process .......................................................................................................................................... 2-3 Federal Process ...................................................................................................................................... 2-4 2.3 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 2-5 2.4 STATE POLICY/GOALS FOR A MULTIMODAL SYSTEM ........................................................................ 2-5 Delaware’s Long-Range Transportation Plan ............................................................................................ 2-5 3 SRP VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 RAIL TRENDS AND CHALLENGES ..................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 DELAWARE’S RAIL SYSTEM VISION ................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2.1 Vision Statement for Passenger Rail ................................................................................. 3-1 3.2.2 Vision Statement for Freight Rail ....................................................................................... 3-2 3.3 DELDOT RAIL PLAN GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES .......................................................... 3-2 4 DELAWARE’S EXISTING RAIL SYSTEM ..................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 SYSTEM OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 4-1 4.2 PASSENGER RAIL ........................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.1 Intercity Rail ......................................................................................................................... 4-3 Amtrak Services ........................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Stations.................................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Amtrak Operating Facilities in Delaware ............................................................................................... 4-6 4.2.2 Commuter Rail .................................................................................................................... 4-6 SEPTA .......................................................................................................................................................... 4-6 Stations-Commuter Rail Operations.................................................................................................. 4-7 Ridership ................................................................................................................................................. 4-9 Schedule ................................................................................................................................................4-10 4.3 FREIGHT RAIL PROFILE ................................................................................................................. 4-14 4.3.1 Class I Railroads ............................................................................................................... 4-14 Norfolk Southern .........................................................................................................................................4-14 NS Network in Delaware .....................................................................................................................4-17 Connections with other Railroads .........................................................................................................4-20 Track Capacity - Weight Limits .............................................................................................................4-20 Delmarva Business Unit ........................................................................................................................4-20 Planned Investments .............................................................................................................................4-21 CSX Transportation ....................................................................................................................................4-22 Interchanges (with other railroads) .......................................................................................................4-24 Track Capacity - Weight Limits .............................................................................................................4-24 Planned Investments .............................................................................................................................4-24 4.3.2 Shortline Railroads ............................................................................................................ 4-24 Wilmington & Western Railroad .................................................................................................................4-25 Track Miles .............................................................................................................................................4-25 Short History ..........................................................................................................................................4-25 Interchanges ..........................................................................................................................................4-25 Track Capacity - Weight Limits .............................................................................................................4-25 East Penn Railroad .....................................................................................................................................4-25 Track Miles .............................................................................................................................................4-25 Short History ..........................................................................................................................................4-25 Interchanges ..........................................................................................................................................4-26 Track Capacity - Weight Limits .............................................................................................................4-26 Page | i Delaware State Rail Plan FINAL Maryland & Delaware Railroad .................................................................................................................. 4-26 Track Miles ............................................................................................................................................ 4-26 Short History .......................................................................................................................................... 4-26 Interchanges .......................................................................................................................................... 4-27 Track