Role of Rail in 1 Statewide Transport Caltrans’ mission in developing the California State Rail Plan is to provide a framework for a safe, sustainable, integrated, and efficient California rail network that successfully moves people and goods while enhancing the State’s economy and livability. Chapter 1 • Role of Rail in Statewide Transport 1.1 2018 California State Rail Plan This creates bottlenecks in the movement of goods, Overview and in access to popular destinations and across California’s borders. Quality of life is further impacted California is building the future every day. by transportation-related air pollution. The state’s California is the world’s fifth-largest economy; is farms and forests are threatened by erratic patterns home to nearly 40 million people; and supports of drought and downpour, and by extreme weather world-class cities, universities, and research centers, generated by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a and the world’s most valuable, innovative, and changing climate. technologically advanced companies. The State’s agricultural industry feeds the nation. Ports through California is uniquely poised to meet these which goods and products flow to and through the challenges. The State is a national leader in rest of the nation are a center of international trade. developing a passenger and freight rail network California’s iconic parks and landscapes draw visitors connecting its growing regions. Modern rail is the from all over the world. most cost- and energy-efficient transportation technology to quickly, safely, and affordably connect California can experience even greater success people to their destinations, and goods to their by efficiently connecting and updating the markets. Californians must continue to invest in and transportation system built on rail networks and build an advanced, integrated statewide rail system highways from the 19th and 20th centuries. The befitting both their needs and their ambitions to status quo is not enough to support this growing continue to compete and thrive on the cutting economy and meet its robust economic and edge of global technology; to lead in efforts to environmental future needs. Residents and workers curb climate change; and to grow sustainably and in California’s growing mega-regions face mounting resiliently in a fast-changing world. vehicle congestion and crippling commute times due to pressures on the housing market and the aging transportation infrastructure. 2 Chapter 1 • Role of Rail in Statewide Transport 1.2 State Rail Plan Purpose The Rail Plan anticipates exciting new developments in California’s rail system, and presents a future The 2018 California State Rail Plan (Rail Plan) vision for statewide rail travel that builds on the establishes a statewide vision of an integrated State’s existing conventional rail, along with rail system that provides comprehensive and opportunities provided by high-speed rail (HSR) and coordinated service to passengers through more transit; leverages emerging technologies such as frequent service, and convenient transfers between electrification and advanced train control systems rail services and transit. This integrated system uses that help make rail travel more efficient, faster, safer, the existing rail system more efficiently; expands and more reliable; makes the existing system more the coverage and mix of rail services in several cost-effective to operate; and channels savings to key corridors; scales proposed services to meet new capital projects and system enhancements. The anticipated market demand; and facilitates network- Rail Plan assesses a changing funding landscape, wide coordination through scheduled, or “pulsed,” including the influence of newly funded Senate Bill transfers. For passengers, this integrated system (SB) 1 transportation package and California’s Cap- means a faster, more convenient and reliable door- and-Trade Program for reducing GHG emissions. The to-door travel experience. For freight movements, planned rail system envisioned in the Rail Plan will this integrated system means better system improve Californians’ quality of life by mitigating reliability and a clear pathway to growing capacity, roadway congestion; reducing vehicle emissions; which leads to economic benefits that reverberate supporting compact land use; and offering locally, regionally, and nationally. convenient, reliable, and automobile-competitive alternative travel and goods movement. The Rail Plan also addresses issues of access (defined as the availability of opportunities within a certain distance), as well as mobility (the ability to move between activity sites).[1] A statewide rail system The California transportation offers a viable alternative to driving for both network today: local and long-distance trips for all populations, • Total highway / roadway centerline including those who lack access to or cannot afford miles: 175,818 automobiles, and for people who choose not to • More than 13,133 State-owned drive. bridges • Twelve California seaports, including the nation’s largest port complex • More than 300 airports (Commercial and General Aviation) • One of the nation’s most extensive passenger and freight rail systems with more than 10,000 passenger and freight route miles 1 Hanson, Susan, The Geography of Urban Transportation, 2004, accessed 2016. 3 Chapter 1 • Role of Rail in Statewide Transport The Rail Plan vision includes a 2040 time horizon that However, these phases are meant to establish the is not financially constrained. The vision provides a thresholds that guide strategic planning and do not technical framework for realizing the full potential preclude projects in one time frame from funding in of our existing rail network, and using available a nearer term time frame. The Rail Plan provides for capacity on freight-heavy routes in a fully integrated incremental service planning and capital investment statewide passenger service that draws on detailed decision-making with an ultimate network vision in input and guidance from key stakeholder initiatives mind: it offers leadership toward a more integrated, and leadership. In partnership with those same convenient, and efficient statewide rail system. stakeholders, this vision can be achieved in phases, Chapter 1 provides the statewide context of with different levels of integration activated as California’s multimodal transportation system, improvements are delivered over time. outlining the key trends and opportunities guiding Phasing implementation prioritizes more intensive transportation planning; characterizing rail’s role in utilization of the existing infrastructure while the State transportation system; and highlighting minimizing duplicate or stranded investments. A key multimodal policies, programs, and plans on mid-term 10-year capital program is derived from which statewide planning for the rail network is the 2040 Passenger Rail Vision (2040 Vision). This based. This chapter also reviews the rail governance program builds on the already programmed short- structure and identifies funding opportunities from term capital projects, and represents what the Federal, State, local, and other sources. State reasonably expects can be funded by 2027. 4 Chapter 1 • Role of Rail in Statewide Transport 1.3 State Multimodal Table 1.1: California Transportation Facilities[2] Transportation Freight Rail Route Mileage California’s multimodal transportation system, Freight: Class I Railroads 5,418 consisting of highway, rail, transit, seaport, and Freight: Class III Railroads 1,317 airport systems, provides the foundation from which Freight: Switching Terminals 275 the State economy can flourish. It provides residents with access to jobs, and businesses with access to Passenger Rail Route Mileage markets. New trends and opportunities are emerging Long-Distance 887 in all modes and scales of transportation planning, Intercity Passenger Rail 1,663 and were considered and incorporated in developing Commuter and Regional Rail 830 the Rail Plan. Urban Mass Transit Rail 382 1.3.1 California’s Rail System Summary Highway/Roadway In California, freight rail services are provided by Highway/Roadway Mileage 175,818 two Class I railroads, or large railroads; and 27 Class Airports III railroads, or small railroads. The National Rail Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) operates four long- Commercial Service Airports 28 distance services. The State of California sponsors General Aviation Airports 215 three corridor services. There are five commuter Special Use Airports 68 railroads in the State of California, of which the Ports newest commenced operations in 2017. Most of these passenger services operate over trackage Seaports (Inland and Coastal) 12 owned by the Class I railroads. International Ports of Entry 6 Spatial efficiency: Passenger rail is far more spatially efficient than air travel or cars; at typical capacity, a single 10- 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 car train can carry as many passengers 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 as seven jet airliners or 800 cars. 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 = = 800 Cars 7 Planes 1 Train Exhibit 1.1: Spatial Efficiency Across Modes 2 Route miles are estimated by adding each agency or railroad company’s operating route miles. 5 Chapter 1 • Role of Rail in Statewide Transport 1.3.2 Trends and Opportunities Mega-Regional Planning. Mega-regions are The Rail Plan addresses