Gulf Coast Working Group Report to Congress Prepared for: Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation of the Senate and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives Submitted by: The Gulf Coast Working Group Final Report July 2017 Table of Contents 1 OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 1 2 BACKGROUND AND HISTORY ................................................................................................. 1 2.1 DESCRIPTION OF GCWG SCOPE OF WORK ...................................................................... 1 2.1.1 THE FAST ACT AND RESPONSE TO CONGRESS ............................................................... 1 2.1.2 GOALS .............................................................................................................................. 2 2.1.3 REPORT ORGANIZATION .................................................................................................. 2 2.2 HISTORY .......................................................................................................................... 2 2.2.1 PREVIOUS PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE TO THE GULF COAST ........................................... 2 2.2.2 RECENT HISTORY OF LOCAL SUPPORT TO RESTORE PASSENGER SERVICE .................... 4 2.3 REGIONAL ECONOMIC SUMMARY .................................................................................... 4 2.3.1 POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS .................................................................................... 4 2.4 DESCRIPTION OF PARTIES INVOLVED ............................................................................... 5 2.4.1 GULF COAST WORKING GROUP STRUCTURE & MEMBERSHIP ........................................ 5 2.4.2 GCWG INTERACTION WITH CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS ............................................... 5 3 EXISTING CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................... 6 3.1 EXISTING RAILROAD INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................................... 6 3.1.1 ELEMENTS OF RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................................ 6 3.1.2 EXISTING GULF COAST CORRIDOR RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................... 6 3.1.2.1 OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................ 9 4 PROPOSED RESTORATION PLAN .......................................................................................... 10 4.1 PREVIOUSLY STUDIED OPTIONS ..................................................................................... 10 4.2 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED SERVICE OPTIONS .............................................................. 12 4.2.1 ALTERNATIVE A ............................................................................................................ 12 4.2.2 ALTERNATIVE A1 .......................................................................................................... 13 4.2.3 PREFERRED OPTION ....................................................................................................... 14 4.3 PASSENGER SERVICE SCHEDULE COMPARISON .............................................................. 14 4.4 OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................... 15 4.4.1 TERMINALS .................................................................................................................... 15 4.4.1.1 NEW ORLEANS ............................................................................................................... 15 4.4.1.2 MOBILE .......................................................................................................................... 15 4.4.1.3 ORLANDO AREA AND SUNRAIL OPERATIONS ................................................................ 15 4.4.1.4 ROLLING STOCK EQUIPMENT ........................................................................................ 16 4.5 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS............................................................................................... 16 4.5.1 STATION REVIEW ........................................................................................................... 16 4.5.1.1 APPROACH TO DEFINING INCREMENTAL STATION IMPROVEMENTS ............................. 16 4.5.1.2 HIGHLIGHTS/SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS ..................................................... 17 4.5.1.3 ORDER-OF-MAGNITUDE CAPITAL COST SUMMARY...................................................... 18 4.5.2 RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE ................................................................................................. 19 4.5.2.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 19 4.5.2.2 ASSESSMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS .................................................... 20 4.5.2.3 FRA IDENTIFIED IMPROVEMENTS .............................................................................. 23 4.5.2.4 FRA IDENTIFIED IMPROVEMENTS FOR CSX LINE AND ORDER OF MAGNITUDE CAPITAL COSTS .............................................................................................................................. 29 Gulf Coast Working Group Report to Congress i 5 IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................................ 30 5.1 FRA IDENTIFIED PROGRAM OF IMPROVEMENTS ........................................................ 30 5.1.1 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (O&M) COSTS ......................................................... 31 5.1.2 SUMMARY OF STATION, INFRASTRUCTURE & OTHER IMPROVEMENT COSTS .............. 31 5.2 FUNDING ........................................................................................................................ 32 5.2.1 LOCAL FUNDING ............................................................................................................ 32 5.2.1.1 LOCAL MATCH TO FRA GRANTS .................................................................................. 32 5.2.1.2 OTHER LOCAL FUNDING INITIATIVES ........................................................................... 33 5.2.1.3 BP OIL SPILL SETTLEMENT PROCEEDS .......................................................................... 33 5.2.2 THE FAST ACT .............................................................................................................. 33 5.2.2.1 CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS (CRISI) PROGRAM ....................................................................................................................................... 33 5.2.2.2 RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT (REG) PROGRAM ................................................. 33 5.2.2.3 FASTLANE GRANTS ........................................................................................................ 33 5.2.3 TIGER GRANTS ............................................................................................................... 34 5.2.4 HIGHWAY-RAIL GRADE CROSSINGS ............................................................................. 34 5.2.4.1 ALABAMA DOT ............................................................................................................. 34 5.2.4.2 LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & DEVELOPMENT (DOTD) .............. 34 5.2.5 RRIF/TIFIA PROGRAMS ................................................................................................ 35 5.3 NEXT STEPS ................................................................................................................... 35 5.3.1 VERIFY RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS ..................................................................... 35 5.3.2 CONFIRM PTC REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................... 35 5.3.3 EVALUATE SAFETY AT GRADE CROSSINGS ................................................................... 35 5.3.3.1 PROPOSED GRADE CROSSING STUDY ............................................................................ 35 5.3.3.2 MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD CORRIDOR WORKING GROUP .................................................. 35 5.3.4 NEPA ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ................................................................................. 36 5.3.5 EXECUTE NECESSARY AGREEMENTS ............................................................................ 36 5.3.6 APPLICATION OF POTENTIAL FUNDING ......................................................................... 36 5.3.6.1 REQUEST FOR FUNDING: ................................................................................................ 37 5.3.7 IDENTIFICATION OF REAL ESTATE REQUIREMENTS & DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES 37 5.3.8 OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................... 37 5.3.8.1 EXTEND LONG-DISTANCE SERVICE TO TAMPA, FL ...................................................... 37 5.3.8.2 ASSESSMENT OF EXTENDING STATE-SUPPORTED SERVICE TO ATMORE, AL ............... 37 6 CLOSING STATEMENT ........................................................................................................... 38 Gulf Coast Working Group Report to Congress ii List of Tables TABLE 1 – EXISTING GULF COAST RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE ......................................................... 7 TABLE 2 – SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED