Kansas Department of Transportation Rail Plan 2005 - 2006 Kathleen Sebelius, Governor Debra L. Miller, Secretary of Transportation Kansas Department of Transportation Division of Planning and Development Bureau of Transportation Planning – Office of Rail Affairs Kansas Rail Plan Update 2005 - 2006 Kansas Department of Transportation Division of Planning and Development Bureau of Transportation Planning Office of Rail Affairs Dwight D. Eisenhower State Office Building 700 SW Harrison Street, Second Floor Tower Topeka, Kansas 66603-3754 Telephone: (785) 296-3841 Fax: (785) 296-0963 Debra L. Miller, Secretary of Transportation Terry Heidner, Division of Planning and Development Director Chris Herrick, Chief of Transportation Planning Bureau John Jay Rosacker, Assistant Chief Transportation Planning Bureau ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Prepared by CONTRIBUTORS Office of Rail Affairs Staff John W. Maddox, CPM, Rail Affairs Program Manager Darlene K. Osterhaus, Rail Affairs Research Analyst Edward Dawson, Rail Affairs Research Analyst Paul Ahlenius, P.E., Rail Affairs Engineer Bureau of Transportation Planning Staff John Jay Rosacker, Assistant Chief Transportation Planning Bureau Carl Gile, Decision Mapping Technician Specialist OFFICE OF RAIL AFFAIRS WEB SITE http://www.ksdot.org/burRail/Rail/default.asp Pictures provided by railroads or taken by Office of Rail Affairs staff Railroad data and statistics provided by railroads 1 Executive Summary The Kansas Rail Plan Update 2005 - 2006 has Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1654 et seg). Financial been prepared in accordance with requirements of the assistance in the form of Federal Rail Administration Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) U.S. Department (FRA) grants has been used to fund rehabilitation of Transportation (USDOT), as set forth in federal projects throughout Kansas. In 1991, the Kansas regulations governing Local Rail Freight Assistance to Legislature gave KDOT the authority (KSA 75-5048) to States. These rules constitute Chapter 49 Code of the loan the FRA grant funds. This Kansas rail freight Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 266. assistance loan program is intended to ensure that the state has rail service that contributes to the economy and The Kansas Department of Transportation well-being of Kansas and its citizens. This enhances (KDOT), Bureau of Transportation Planning, Office of market competitiveness of Kansas industries, fosters Rail Affairs is responsible for railroad planning in expansion of present business, and attracts new business. Kansas. The mission of KDOT's Office of Rail Affairs In 1999, Kansas Governor Bill Graves signed into law in the planning function is to provide information and House Bill 2071 providing for a new state coordinate efforts to encourage an efficient Comprehensive Transportation Program. In addition to transportation system to meet the needs of the State of highway projects, this program also includes funding to Kansas. To encourage an efficient transportation system, help meet the needs of Kansas short line railroads KDOT's Office of Rail Affairs has compiled the Kansas through low-interest loans. The program provides $3 Rail Plan 2005 - 2006 Update. The update is divided million per year in grants and loans for ten years and is into six chapters: 1. Rail Transportation in Kansas; 2. administered by the KDOT Office of Rail Affairs. Freight Rail Carriers in Kansas; 3. Passenger Rail During the 2006 Legislative session, funding for the Transportation; 4. Railroad Abandonments; 5. program was extended for two additional years, through Railroad Assistance Programs; and 6. Operation 2009. The Rail Service Improvement Fund (RSIF) will Lifesaver. become self-sufficient at the end of the eight-year period Chapter One, Rail Transportation in Kansas, and allow ongoing opportunities for short line railroads provides current information and operating to improve their system infrastructure, service to characteristics of the railroads in the state including rail shippers, and the economy of the state. KDOT is now in line mileage, trackage rights, and a current state railroad the eighth year of the program. Approximately 981 map. miles of rail line have been rehabilitated or are currently in the process of rehabilitation. RSIF rehabilitation Chapter Two, Freight Rail Carriers in Kansas, funding projects include installation of ties, ballast describes and provides information on the four Class I replacement, surfacing and tamping, and rail relay rail lines, and 16 Class III or short line railroads, of projects. which three are switching railroads and two are tourist lines in the Kansas short line rail transportation network. Chapter Six, Railroad Safety, gives an overview Maps indicating location and density of traffic are of the national highway-rail grade crossing safety included, as well as charts detailing volume and types of program and its organization in Kansas. Operation commodities shipped on each railroad operating rail lines Lifesaver is a nationwide, non-profit public safety in Kansas. education and outreach program designed to eliminate collisions, deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and Chapter Three, Passenger Rail Transportation, rights-of-way. reviews the current and possible future of passenger rail in the state. Rail Affairs Web Page Chapter Four, Railroad Abandonments, discusses the history, causes of and present The 2005 - 2006 Rail Plan Update and more abandonments affecting Kansas. Also provided is a information on railroads in Kansas are also available on review and summary of the abandonment regulations the Internet at: http://www.ksdot.org/burRail/Rail/default.asp adopted by the Surface Transportation Board in 1998 designed and updated by Darlene Osterhaus (KDOT, (see 49 CFR 1105 & 1152). Rail Affairs Research Analyst). ©Copyright 1999, all rights Reserved with the Kansas Department of Chapter Five, Railroad Assistance Programs, Transportation, 700 SW Harrison Street, Topeka, was developed from federal and state loan activities. Kansas 66603-3754. Telephone: (785) 296-3585. If The Federal Local Rail Freight Assistance (LRFA) you have any inquiries or questions about this site, please Program is a program of federal grants to fund local e-mail to: [email protected]. freight rail infrastructure improvements. It was established by Section 5 of the Department of 2 Table of Contents PAGE Kansas Rail Plan Update 2005-2006 Acknowledgment 1 Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 List of Tables 5 List of Figures 6 Chapter 1 - Rail Transportation in Kansas 7 Introduction 8 Railroads Progress 8 Miles Owned 9 Miles Operated Under Trackage Rights 9 Chapter 2 - Freight Rail Carriers in Kansas 15 Class I Carriers BNSF Railway (BNSF) 16 Kansas City Southern (KCS) 18 Norfolk Southern (NSC) 20 Union Pacific (UP) 22 Statistical Analysis of Class I Rail Carriers Tons Transported 24 Commodities Moved 24 Originated and Terminated Freight Carloads 24 Class I Share of Originated Traffic 24 Composition of Class I Share of Originated Traffic 24 Class I Share of Moved Traffic 24 Class III Rail Carriers 31 Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad (A & SV) 32 Blackwell Northern Gateway Railroad (BNGR) 34 Blue Rapids Railroad (BR RR) 36 Boothill and Western Railway (BH & W) 38 Cimarron Valley Railroad (CVR) 40 Garden City Western (GCW) 42 Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (K & O) 44 Kansas City Terminal Railway (KCTR) 46 Kyle Railroad (KYLE) 48 Midland (MIDL) 54 Missouri and Northern Arkansas (M & NA) 56 Nebraska Kansas Colorado RailNet, Inc (NKC) 58 New Century AirCenter Railroad (NCA) 60 South Kansas & Oklahoma (SK & O) 62 V & S Railway, Inc. (V & S) 64 Wichita Terminal Association (WTA) 66 Chapter 3 – Passenger Rail Transportation 69 Inter-City Passenger Rail Service 70 Amtrak Ridership 70 3 Chapter 4 - Railroad Abandonments 71 History of Abandonments 72 Causes of Abandonments 72 The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) becomes the Surface Transportation Board (STB) 72 Kansas Current Abandonments 72 Surface Transportation Board 84 Abandonments and Alternatives to Abandonments 84 I. Overview 84 II. Abandonments 84 III. Exceptions to the Abandonment Process 88 IV. Alternatives to Abandonment 90 V. Labor Issues 92 VI. Alternative Uses for Rail Right-of-Way 93 Appendix I - Synopsis of Abandonment Regulations 95 Appendix II - Surface Transportation Board Timetable for Class Exemption Proceedings 97 Chapter 5 - Railroad Assistance Programs 99 Federal Local Rail Freight Assistance to States (LRFA) 100 State Rail Service Improvement Funds (SRSIF) 100 Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) 100 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) 100 Class III Railroad Rehabilitation Project Photos 104 Chapter 6 – Railroad Safety 105 History of Operation Lifesaver 106 Highway Rail Grade Crossing Facts 106 Railroad Facts and Tips 107 Operation Lifesaver Driving Tips 107 Kansas Operation Lifesaver, Inc. 108 Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Program 108 Kansas Operation Lifesaver in 2005 108 4 List of Tables TABLE 1 – KANSAS RAIL MILES OWNED AND OPERATED ........................................................................................12 TABLE 2 – RAIL CARRIER TRACKAGE RIGHTS IN KANSAS ........................................................................................13 TABLE 3 – COMMODITIES MOVED BY CLASS I RAIL CARRIERS IN KANSAS BY TONS ..............................................25 TABLE 4 – FREIGHT BY TONS TRANSPORTED IN KANSAS BY CLASS I CARRIERS IN 2004 AND 2005 .......................26 TABLE 5 – COMMODITIES MOVED BY