OPERATIONS PLAN Tacoma to Lakewood Sounder Commuter Rail January 2010 Sounder Commuter Rail TACOMA TO LAKEWOOD OPERATIONS PLAN Table of Contents Table of Contents.....................................................................................................................................................................ii 1.0 Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose .............................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Origin and Overview of Sounder Commuter Rail ............................................................................................. 1 1.2.1 Tacoma-Seattle .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2.2 Everett-Seattle.................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2.3 Tacoma-Lakewood ............................................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Corridor Description .......................................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 System Administration ................................................................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Major Agreements ............................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1.1 BNSF ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1.2 Amtrak ............................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.3 Tacoma Rail....................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.4 WSDOT ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.1.5 BNSF Freight/Tacoma Rail Short-line Agreement............................................................................................ 5 2.1.6 Union Pacific ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.7 Maintenance of Way Contractor........................................................................................................................ 5 2.2 Industry Track Agreements................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3 Regulations ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.3.1 Federal ............................................................................................................................................................... 5 2.3.2 State ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 3.0 Operating Requirements and Features...................................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Rules - General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) ........................................................................................... 6 3.2 General Orders................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 Slow Order......................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.4 Timetables.......................................................................................................................................................... 8 3.5 Daily Operating Plan.......................................................................................................................................... 8 3.6 Definition of Route/Line Name ......................................................................................................................... 8 3.7 Mileposts............................................................................................................................................................ 8 3.8 Track Stations .................................................................................................................................................... 9 3.9 Speed Limits and Restrictions............................................................................................................................ 9 3.10 Directions of Orientation ................................................................................................................................... 9 3.11 Operating Procedures for D to M Street on 2.85% Grade.................................................................................. 9 3.11.1 Air Brake and Train Handling Rules ................................................................................................................. 9 3.11.2 Special Instructions.......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.11.3 General Operations .......................................................................................................................................... 10 3.11.4 Special Procedures and Conditions.................................................................................................................. 10 3.12 Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) System...................................................................................................... 11 3.13 Dispatching ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 3.14 Radio Frequencies............................................................................................................................................ 12 4.0 System Features ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1 Passenger Stations............................................................................................................................................ 13 4.1.1 Tacoma Dome Station...................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1.2 South Tacoma Station...................................................................................................................................... 13 4.1.3 Lakewood Station ............................................................................................................................................ 13 4.1.4 Lakewood Layover Yard ................................................................................................................................. 13 4.2 Equipment Features ......................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.1 Rolling Stock on Hand..................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2.2 Rolling Stock Types Owned ............................................................................................................................ 14 4.2.3 Yard Servicing ................................................................................................................................................. 14 ii Sounder Tacoma to -Lakewood Operations Plan 1/10 Sounder Commuter Rail TACOMA TO LAKEWOOD OPERATIONS PLAN 4.2.4 Layover Servicing............................................................................................................................................ 14 4.2.5 Inspections ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 4.3 Railroad Highway Crossing............................................................................................................................. 14 4.3.1 On D to M Street Tracks.................................................................................................................................. 14 4.3.2 Existing on the M Street to Bridgeport Way Tracks........................................................................................ 14 4.3.3 Existing on the Bridgeport Way to Nisqually Tracks ...................................................................................... 15 4.4 Industry Tracks (with Agreements) ................................................................................................................