PACIFIC NORTHWEST RAIL CORRIDOR - BUILDING BLOCKS INTO THE FUTURE

Transcription

1 PACIFIC NORTHWEST RAIL CORRIDOR - BUILDING BLOCKS INTO THE FUTURE AREMA Annual Conference 2005 Kevin M. Jeffers, PE Rail Projects Engineer Washington State Department of Transportation PO Box Olympia, WA jefferk@wsdot.wa.gov Kenneth M. Uznanski, Jr. Manager, Rail Office Washington State Department of Transportation PO Box Olympia, WA uznansk@wsdot.wa.gov Kirk Fredrickson, MPA Rail Planning and Policy Coordinator Washington State Department of Transportation PO Box Olympia, WA fredrik@wsdot.wa.gov

2 ABSTRACT PACIFIC NORTHWEST RAIL CORRIDOR - BUILDING BLOCKS INTO THE FUTURE Kevin M. Jeffers, PE Kenneth M. Uznanski, Jr. Kirk Fredrickson, MPA In 1993 the states of Washington and Oregon, the Burlington Northern (now BNSF Railway) and Union Pacific (UP) Railroads, and Amtrak joined together to improve intercity passenger rail service between the cities of Eugene, OR; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Vancouver, BC. Over the last 12 years, these entities have embarked on many incremental improvements that have led to a nearly six-fold increase in ridership on the service more commonly known as Amtrak Cascades. The BNSF and UP main lines form the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC), which is one of the original federally designated high-speed rail corridors in the United States. The success of the program s incremental approach has been nationally recognized and has become a model for many other passenger programs throughout the nation. The authors will review the history of the PNWRC and outline the ambitious capacity and speed improvement plans that the Washington State Department of Transportation and BNSF have for taking the service to even higher levels of ridership. These plans include a number of active projects and future projects that will allow for speeds up to 110 mph. The challenges that are typical to many corridors are presented, as are the challenges that are unique to the PNWRC. Examples of these challenges are international operations and maintaining true partnerships among several large corporate and governmental entities over many years.

3 INTRODUCTION The states of Washington and Oregon, along with Amtrak, currently operate the intercity passenger rail service know as Amtrak Cascades on the federally-designated Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (PNWRC) that stretches from Eugene, Oregon in the south to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in the north. Today, 12 daily Amtrak Cascades trains serve 17 separate communities along the 466-mile rail corridor. Two more daily trains will be added in 2006 that will operate between Seattle and Portland. The PNWRC also hosts two of Amtrak s long distance trains. It also hosts three Sound Transit commuter rail round-trip trains between Seattle and Tacoma and one between Seattle and Everett. A second Seattle-Everett round trip will start by September Exhibit 1 illustrates the location of the PNWRC upon which the Amtrak Cascades service operates. Exhibit 2 is the current Amtrak Cascades train schedule. The Amtrak Cascades service operates on the Union Pacific Railroad s (UP) tracks between Eugene and Portland. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Amtrak financially support this corridor segment. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Amtrak financially support the segment of the corridor between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, BC, which operates over the BNSF Railway s (BNSF) tracks. The passenger equipment used on the PNWRC varies with the service, with most equipment being standard to North American railroading. Amtrak Cascades trains, however, use Talgo, Inc. manufactured articulated trainsets that employ the patented pendular passive tilting technology. An Electromotive Division (EMD) F59 locomotive powers each of these unique trainsets and a non-powered F40 locomotive is used as a cab car in a push-pull configuration. Currently, all passenger trains in the PNWRC are limited to a maximum of 79 miles per hour. In Washington State, the Talgo-manufactured tilting equipment is permitted to operate

4 through curves at speeds that are six inches beyond the theoretically balanced state (a.k.a. cant deficiency) instead of the usual three inches for most other passenger equipment. This paper reviews the history of the PNWRC and outlines the ambitious capacity and speed improvement plans that WSDOT and BNSF have for taking the Amtrak Cascades service to even higher levels of ridership. These plans include a number of active projects and future projects that will allow for speeds up to 110 mph. The challenges that are typical to many corridors are presented, as are the challenges that are unique to the PNWRC. HISTORY OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST RAIL CORRIDOR Laying the Foundation The vision of reduced travel times and better passenger rail service in the Pacific Northwest began in the late 1980s when the Washington State Legislature funded a program to improve rail depots across the state. In 1991 the Washington State Legislature directed WSDOT to develop a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of developing a high speed ground transportation system in the state of Washington. In October 1992, the High Speed Ground Transportation Study was delivered to the Governor and the legislature. This study confirmed the feasibility of developing high speed rail in the region. Following release of this study in April 1993, WSDOT was directed (Revised Code of Washington Chapter 47.79) to develop high-quality intercity passenger rail service... through incremental upgrading of the existing [Amtrak] service. The legislature believed that this stepby-step approach would help to build a rail culture in the region that would eventually make rail a competitive and viable alternative to automobile and regional air travel. Also in October 1992, the U.S. Department of Transportation s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) designated the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor as one of five high-speed

5 rail corridors in the United States. This designation helps the region compete for potential federal funds to assist the state with planning and implementing improved passenger and freight rail service throughout the corridor. The Cornerstones of Current Service The Renaissance Begins In 1994 Amtrak already served the Seattle-Portland section of the corridor with one round trip train each day called the Mt. Rainier, along with two long distance trains, the Coast Starlight and Pioneer. Also in 1994, WSDOT contracted with Amtrak and Burlington Northern Railroad (BNRR, now BNSF) to financially sponsor another round trip between Seattle and Portland. WSDOT used state and federal funds to upgrade about 55 highway-rail at-grade crossings. WSDOT and BNRR also came together to remove a number of municipal and state-required speed restrictions. The increased train speed gained through these efforts created enough additional capacity to justify the added train. BNRR s willingness to work with the state to make these improvements led to additional capital investment in the PNWRC. This new train was dubbed the Mt. Adams, keeping with the states tradition of naming local trains after the major peaks of the Cascade Mountains. That same year, Amtrak, at the request of WSDOT, leased a used trainset from Renfe- Talgo, Inc. as a demonstration of the potential of tilt technology in revenue service. The articulated equipment was imported from Spain and was equipped with Talgo s patented pendular passive tilt technology. In order to operate the European equipment in the U.S., Amtrak obtained a waiver from the FRA for the window glazing and the handhold appliances. All other aspects of the trainset met the U.S. standards of the time. This leased trainset was operated as the Mt. Adams train until 1995, and continued in service on the corridor until 1999.

6 In 1995 the state of Oregon contracted with Amtrak and Southern Pacific (SP, now part of Union Pacific) to extend the Mt. Rainier to Eugene. Similar to the agreement between WSDOT and BNSF to add the Mt. Adams, ODOT used state and federal funds to upgrade several highway-rail at-grade crossings. ODOT and SP also worked together to remove a number of municipal and state-required speed restrictions. The increased train speed created enough additional capacity to justify the added train. The International is Back In May 1995, WSDOT, Amtrak, and BNRR, which became Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway later that year, worked together to reestablish Amtrak service to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Amtrak s Pacific International had previously served the route, but slow, non-competitive schedules and delays at the international border resulted in low ridership, and led to Amtrak discontinuing service in WSDOT, Amtrak, and BNRR came together and agreed to a series of improvements that allowed for increased speeds and capacity on BNRR s tracks. WSDOT and Amtrak funded the improvements south of the border in the U.S.; BNRR funded the improvements in Canada. These improvements resulted in a 3 hour, 55 minute schedule and improved on-time reliability. Within Washington, the improvements included installing about 70 miles of Centralized Traffic Control, upgrading about 70 highway-rail at-grade crossings to flashing lights and gates; constructing or extending three 9,000-foot passing sidings; constructing over 13,000 feet of yard tracks for tank cars storage; track rehabilitation to most of the route; and installation of continuously welded rail on horizontal curves that had jointed rail. This heavily curved segment of the PNWRC made the use of tilt-technology trains a major advantage. Amtrak and WSDOT leased a second used Talgo-manufactured passive tilt trainset, which allowed the earlier trainset to be put into service on this segment. The new train,

7 financially sponsored by WSDOT, was named the Mt. Baker International and began service in The Amtrak Cascades Service Is Born In 1996 WSDOT and Amtrak contracted with Talgo, Inc. to construct four new trainsets. These new trainsets were designed with Talgo s tilt system, as the demonstration trainsets had, but also included improved customer amenities such as on-board power for laptop computers and unprecedented accessibility for those in wheel chairs. In 1997 Amtrak discontinued the Pioneer, a train that operated between Seattle and Chicago via Portland and Denver, CO. With the loss of this long-distance train, WSDOT, Amtrak, and BNSF agreed to add a third corridor train between Seattle and Portland, with the operations sponsored by WSDOT. While the new trainsets were being constructed, the second leased Talgo-manufactured trainset was put into service between Seattle and Portland. This allowed the scheduled running time to be shortened by 25 minutes to the current three and a half hours. At this time, the entire corridor service, branded as Amtrak Cascades, appeared in Amtrak timetables. Gone were the mountain train names, replaced by 3-digit train numbers. However, the mountain theme was maintained as the new trainsets were named for Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Olympus. These new trainsets were delivered in January 1999 with a distinctive Evergreen, Double Latte, and Castillian Copper paint scheme and with fins to camouflage the difference in height between the cars and locomotives. Upon delivery of these new trainsets, the two leased trainsets were removed from service and returned to Spain. Exhibit 3 is a photograph of Amtrak Cascades equipment taken in 1999.

8 The Work Continues Later in 1999, BNSF and WSDOT struck a deal that allowed a second round trip between Seattle and Bellingham, WA, if WSDOT would fund capacity improvements between Seattle and the U.S./Canadian border. All of these projects are currently completed or funded by either WSDOT or Amtrak. Capacity constraints in British Columbia then, as now, would keep this second round trip from serving Vancouver, BC. In 2000 the UP and ODOT struck a deal that allowed a second round trip between Portland and Eugene if the State of Oregon funded capacity improvements in the segment of that corridor. These improvements included the addition of several terminal improvements in the Portland area and a 9,000-foot passing siding. ODOT also funded the installation of CTC on the nine miles of BNSF main line north of Portland, which greatly improved reliability of Amtrak Cascades trains. All of these improvements were completed in Also in 2000, a fifth Talgo-built trainset, built earlier on speculation of future orders, was leased by the state of Oregon. Once placed in pool service with the other four trainsets, this allowed the additional service to be integrated with the other Amtrak Cascades trains. In 2003 WSDOT purchased this trainset from Talgo, Inc., and ODOT continues to contribute to the maintenance of the trainset pool. Most recently, BNSF completed four universal crossovers on the two-track main line between Seattle and Portland, which were funded by WSDOT. These capacity improvements will allow for a fourth Seattle-Portland, Amtrak Cascades round trip, financially sponsored by WSDOT, to begin service by July Station improvements throughout the corridor have also been completed between 1994 and The communities of Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Everett, Tukwila (south of Seattle), Olympia, Centralia, Kelso, Vancouver (WA), Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany, and Eugene

9 each acquired local, state, and federal funding to renovate or rebuild their passenger stations as multi-modal transportation centers. Currently, historic King Street Station in Seattle is being renovated using local, federal, and Amtrak funds. Exhibit 4 lists the investments that have been made by the various funding entities between 1994 and BUSINESS STRUCTURE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST RAIL CORRIDOR Operations As stated earlier, the Amtrak Cascades operate on the UP s tracks between Eugene and Portland with subsidies from ODOT and Amtrak. The remainder of the corridor service, between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC operates over BNSF s tracks, and is subsidized by WSDOT and Amtrak. Specifically, ODOT and WSDOT contract with Amtrak to operate the Amtrak Cascades trains within their respective corridor segments, with the exception of the Seattle-Portland train formerly know as the Mt. Rainier. Amtrak operates the trains using its national agreements with UP and BNSF, which specify the reimbursement structure and liability limits each party receives. Under separate operating agreements with Washington and Oregon, Amtrak provides the locomotives, crews, equipment maintenance, onboard food services in Seattle, as well as the reservation and ticketing services out of its corporate offices. ODOT and WSDOT work cooperatively to ensure the service is seamless from the passenger s point of view, but have different levels of involvement with the service. WSDOT, as owner of three of the five trainsets in the pool, was directly involved in selecting the equipment, the onboard amenities, and remains directly involved in managing the trainset maintenance and rehabilitation. WSDOT and Amtrak work cooperatively in the areas of

10 marketing, onboard service quality, and foods served onboard to ensure Amtrak is providing riders with a unique, high quality experience. Capital Improvements As with the operating contracts with Amtrak, each state contracts with the host railroad to provide for improvements that will allow for faster, more frequent service. In the case of WSDOT and BNSF, they have established a long-term capital improvement contract, dubbed the Master Agreement. This master agreement lays out the business principles under which BNSF and WSDOT will design and construct infrastructure improvements and how they will determine what service improvement (i.e., higher speeds, additional round trips) each group of infrastructure improvements will allow. Under the master agreement, design and construction work is undertaken and funded through a binding Task Order that specifies scope, schedule, cost, and operating benefits. Each task order generally is limited to the design, right-of-way, or construction phase of an improvement, but phases can be combined into a task order on smaller projects. Likewise, similar improvement projects can be combined under a task order. For example, two separate universal crossovers where constructed under a single task order. BNSF and WSDOT executed the master agreement in Since then, over ten task orders have been initiated on seven distinct improvements. The time to negotiate each project has been cut to a few weeks in most cases instead of several months, or even years, as it had before. The primary cause of this shorter time is due mostly to not needing to negotiate issues such as liability and billable costs each time. These issues are settled in the master agreement.

11 A Shared Corridor Along with the freight trains of the host railroads, the PNWRC hosts two of Amtrak s long distance trains in addition to the Amtrak Cascades corridor trains. The Coast Starlight operates from Seattle, south through Eugene, on it s way to and from Los Angeles. Both segments of the Empire Builder operate on the PNWRC as well. One operates between Seattle and Everett and the other operates between Portland and Vancouver, WA. Both segments meet in Spokane, WA, on their way to and from Chicago. The PNWRC also encompasses Sound Transit s Sounder commuter rail service in the greater Seattle area. Sound Transit currently operates three peak period round trips between Seattle and Tacoma and one between Seattle and Everett. A second Seattle-Everett round trip will start by September The passenger equipment used on the PNWRC varies with the service. The Coast Starlight and Empire Builder usually operate using the General Electric P32 or P42 pulling Superliner cars. Sound Transit s Sounder commuter service generally uses a single Electromotive Division (EMD) F59 locomotive pushing or pulling Bombardier-built commuter coaches and a cab car. Amtrak Cascades trains, as previously noted, use Talgo, Inc. manufactured trainsets, which are articulated and employ the patented pendular passive tilting technology. Each trainset has its own unoccupied power car at one end, but they can also operate on head-end-power from the locomotive. The other end of the trainset has an unoccupied baggage car. A single EMD F59 locomotive generally pushes or pulls each train. Amtrak Cascades trains use non-powered F40 locomotives as cab cars, however, a second locomotive could be used in place of the cab car, if necessary.

12 Currently, all passenger trains in the PNWRC are limited to the maximum FRA Class 4 speed of 79 mph. In Washington State the Talgo-manufactured tilting equipment, when operated with an EMD F59 locomotive and F40 cab car, is permitted by FRA waiver to operate through curves at speeds that are six inches beyond theoretical balance (a.k.a. cant deficiency). This is compared to the three inches cant deficiency that most other passenger trains are allowed by federal law. PLANS FOR THE PNWRC IN WASHINGTON STATE Incrementalism through Building Blocks Since 1997 WSDOT s long-range plan has been to expand intercity passenger rail service to the meet the goals of: 13 round trips per day between Seattle and Portland on one-hour headways and in a scheduled travel time of two-and-a-half hours. Four round trips per day between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, on two-hour headways and in a scheduled travel time of two hours and 40 minutes. Currently, the total cost for all the construction and equipment necessary to achieve WSDOT s service goals for intercity passenger rail service between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. is estimated at $5.0 to $5.5 billion, in 2003 dollars. However, WSDOT is directed to develop it s segment of the PNWRC through incremental upgrading of the corridor and the intercity passenger rail service. For this reason WSDOT developed an incremental plan that lays out which group of improvements will be constructed to achieve each improvement in service. Currently, WSDOT is updating its long-range plan for intercity passenger rail service in its segment of the corridor. WSDOT s updated plan will include service goals, ridership and

13 revenue forecasts, equipment requirements, updated operating and capital construction plans, and cost estimates for each service increment that could be added in the years ahead if funding and market demand exist. WSDOT s updated plan for intercity passenger rail service will follow a step-by-step approach that links specific sets of construction projects to service improvements. These service improvements will be grouped into six distinct building blocks that could be introduced to the traveling public over time. For example, WSDOT is working toward the next incremental building bock that will add a fifth round trip between Seattle and Portland. To achieve this, WSDOT, in consultation with BNSF, has identified four universal crossover projects in the two-train main line territory, a new main line by-pass of the yard in Vancouver, WA, and a 19-mile segment of a third main line in the vicinity of Kelso, WA. These two improvements are major projects that are larger than any project WSDOT and BNSF has yet undertaken. While each capital improvement is tied to a specific service improvement, it is also designed for the long term. Major improvements are designed to minimize, or even eliminate the need for additional work within the project area as the number and speed of passenger trains increase. Put simply, each improvement incorporates the capacity or geometry needs of the future intercity passenger rail service as well as the next incremental step. For example, the rail alignment for the southern half of the previously mentioned 19-mile segment of a third main line in the vicinity of Kelso, WA, is being designed for speeds up to 110 mph, even though the operating plan does not call for passenger train speeds above 79 mph until many other improvements are in place. This will allow for lower implementation costs and less disruption of the environment in the future.

14 High-Speed vs. Higher-Speed In the United States, high-speed rail is generally considered 150 mph (FRA Class 8) or faster. Passenger train speeds above 79 mph, though not considered high speed, have more rigorous infrastructure requirements that escalate as the speeds increase. WSDOT has examined several scenarios that include operations at various speeds above 79 mph and weighed the cost and benefits of each. Based on these analyses, WSDOT plans to operate at speeds up to 110 mph (FRA Class 6) in several rural areas within its segment of the PNWRC. In fact, the Kelso-Martin s Bluff improvements are the first to be designed with higher speeds in mind. The higher-speed segments will be specifically designated tracks separate from, but parallel to, the existing freight tracks. In urban areas, the passenger and freight trains will operate as today, in an integrated fashion, and at the current maximum speeds of 79 mph (FRA Class 4). Limiting the higher-speed segments to rural areas will minimize safety concerns of local residents. A 110 mph maximum speed has been set in the current operating plan to minimize the need to realign curves and to allow at least some at-grade crossings, if needed. This will help minimize infrastructure costs and will also minimize environmental concerns in these rural, environmentally sensitive areas. Further, analysis of the operating conditions has shown that operations at speeds above 110 mph would result in only marginally shorter transit times, but much higher infrastructure costs. At the same time, keeping passenger and freight operations integrated at lower speeds in urban areas will allow for maximum use of the track infrastructure. In the more densely populated and developed urban areas, right of way is at a premium, and more people live near the tracks. Maintaining separate tracks for higher-speed trains would require more right of way,

15 significantly increasing infrastructure costs. Operating at higher speeds in these areas would result in more noise concerns from nearby residents and businesses. Further, the benefits of operating at higher speeds in these areas would be limited by the fact that several station stops are located in these urban areas. Therefore, accelerating repeatedly to higher speed, only to begin breaking after only several minutes of travel would increase fuel costs. To achieve the higher speeds in rural areas, while also maintaining the integrated operations in urban areas, passenger trains will be required by FRA to operate with some sort of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology. WSDOT and BNSF are monitoring the development efforts of the various systems worldwide, but a system for use on the PNWRC has not been selected. It will be many years before a PTC system for the PNWRC will be required, as PTC is currently required only for speeds above 79 mph (FRA Class 4). Equipment Needs In order to achieve the higher speeds, as well as expanded Amtrak Cascades frequencies, the number of trainsets will need to be increased from the current fleet of five and different locomotives will need to be acquired. The current trainsets were designed and constructed prior to the most recent U.S. rules governing passenger rail equipment (49 CFR 238). As such WSDOT and Amtrak, in consultation with the FRA, analyzed the safety of the trainsets in their current configuration. Upon completion of these analyses, the FRA has grandfathered the current trainsets as allowed under the current equipment rules. In granting the current equipment the grandfathered status, FRA has limited the top speed to 79 mph. Tilting trains in other parts of the world often operate at speeds through curves that are 8 inches beyond the theoretically balanced state (cant deficiency). The high center of gravity of an Electromotive Division F59 locomotive would not allow it to be operated at this higher cant

16 deficiency. Further, WSDOT would prefer a locomotive that accelerates faster to speeds above 79 mph than the current F59 is designed for. WSDOT anticipates that the present equipment will not meet the future intercity service on the PNWRC based on the limitations of the current equipment and the likely age of the trainsets when additional service is anticipated to begin. Taking into account the start-up cost of initiating a specialized order for equipment, WSDOT anticipates that new tilting trainsets with faster accelerating, lower center-of-gravity locomotives will be acquired to replace the existing equipment sometime within the next 20 years. Ridership and Revenue In calendar year 2004, the ridership on the 12 daily Amtrak Cascades trains, including the four intra-oregon routes, was over 603,000 passengers. In FFY 2004, the service generated revenue of over $16 million and cost the corridor partners of Amtrak, Oregon, and Washington approximately $46 million to operate. The eight daily Washington State-sponsored trains generated revenues of just over $11 million and cost about $22.4 million to operate in FFY This calculates to be about a 49 percent fairbox recovery. This is impressive when compared to public transit systems that generally subsidize between 70 percent and 90 percent of their operating costs. An examination of the ridership trends shows a direct correlation between the frequency of service and increases in ridership. Based on the train frequency anticipated, WSDOT projects that, upon completion of the capital investment plan, the service could carry nearly three million passengers per year between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC. Exhibit 5 lists the projected future ridership on the Amtrak Cascades, if the full infrastructure and service plan is implemented.

17 The intercity service will also require operating subsidies each year as the capital investments are put in place. Upon completion of the capital investment plan, WSDOT s projections show that the service could operate with limited or no public subsidy, depending on prices charged for passenger fares. CHALLENGES The challenges in developing the PNWRC and enhancing operations of the Amtrak Cascades are typical of many emerging corridors. Other challenges are somewhat unique. Integrating Operations With Others on the PNWRC Operating Plans An operating plan that is integrated with freight, commuter, and long-distance passenger trains is an important consideration that can lead to a successful service or to one marred by delays and inefficiency. WSDOT has worked closely with Amtrak, BNSF, and Sound Transit to ensure that Amtrak Cascades trains can operate as reliably as possible from their first day of service on. This results in the construction of capacity that is adequate for peak service, and meets the needs of all the users of the rail infrastructure. It also results in compromises by the tenant passenger services to avoid train meets where they are difficult to manage. For example, Amtrak Cascades trains often leave Seattle for Portland after southbound Sounder commuter trains that make more frequent stops. The locations where the Amtrak Cascades train overtake the Sounder train are planned as the schedules for both are being developed, avoiding delays to either train. Operating Practices For any passenger service to be successful, operations must be managed in a professional and efficient manner. Today, BNSF uses seven different dispatchers between Portland and Vancouver, BC. These dispatchers generally have limited experience in corridors with the

18 variation in the numbers and types of trains and the number of major port facilities on the PNWRC. This sometimes leads to poor tactical planning decisions and delays to passenger trains. To address the problem, WSDOT plans to contract with BNSF to employ a pool of more highly trained dispatchers who are qualified to handle the traffic in a passenger rail operation. They will be dedicated to Amtrak Cascades operations and will not be generally available for other assignments. Further, Amtrak Cascades operations will also require control center management services associated with the train dispatching office. BNSF already provides control center services for Amtrak and the commuter agencies that use BNSF lines, but as with the train dispatching requirements, the control center requirements will be greater than current practice. The control center services must provide a single decision source for all Amtrak Cascades passenger operations. A manager in this position must be qualified on all contracts and service requirements for Amtrak Cascades service, and should have solid train dispatching experience. International Border One of the unique challenges that the PNWRC faces is that it crosses an international border. This actually results in two separate problems: Freight train interference during border inspections, and clearing passengers for entry into either country. Freight Train Inspections In 1995 WSDOT and BNSF constructed a siding just south of Blaine, WA, near the U.S./Canada border. This new siding, called Swift, was intended to allow inspection of southbound freight trains clear of the main line. While currently in use by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, the Swift facility was not designed for the current rigors of the

19 inspection process or for the work that is required on northbound freight train before they enter Canada. It is also not designed to accommodate the recent increase in freight trains crossing the border. This has resulted in regular delays to Amtrak Cascades trains traveling in both directions. In response to this problem, WSDOT, BNSF, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are developing plans to reconfigure and expand the facility to meet the inspection needs and greater work requirements. The upgraded facility will have a second siding and will facilitate more efficient inspection work through the use of inspection roads on either side of the siding tracks. The existing setout track for car inspections will be double ended to allow for more efficient switching when a car needs to be more intensely inspected. WSDOT and FRA have $6 million for the planned facility upgrades. The current estimates range in price from $9 to $12 million. Passenger Clearance Currently southbound passengers pass though a U.S. Department of Immigration screening before boarding the train at Vancouver, BC. However, they are not cleared through customs until they reach the U.S./Canadian border. At Blaine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents board the train after it makes an otherwise unnecessary stop. While the train waits, the agents inspect the train with drug detection dogs and review Customs declaration cards held by passengers. This adds between 10 and 30 minutes to the southbound transit time and adds a factor of unpredictability to an already crowded corridor. WSDOT has been in discussions, with what is now the U.S. Customs and Border Protection management, to try to have both immigration and customs inspections performed in Vancouver, BC, since passenger service was reinstated in Passengers cannot be screened as they depart the train, as there are multiple stops before the train reaches Seattle. Inspection of

20 passengers at the station in Vancouver, BC is the preferred option; however, U.S. Customs and Border Protection have not agreed this to, as they cannot carry firearms on Canadian soil. A satisfactory solution remains elusive. Funding As with any emerging passenger corridor, the PNWRC requires capital funds to construct the improvements needed to expand passenger rail service. The source of the funds is always a fundamental question. To date, the primary financial contributors have been Washington State, Oregon, and Amtrak. Together, they have funded $225 million in improvements to bring the service to the levels they are today. However, two main partners, the U.S. federal government and the Province of British Columbia, have contributed little or no funds toward the current service. Further, WSDOT s current budget of over $246 million of state funds over the next ten years is not guaranteed into the future. U.S. Federal Participation To date, the U.S. federal government, through legislation known as ISTEA and TEA-21, has put forth only small amounts of funds toward the track and signal infrastructure of the PNWRC. The only federal funds that can be directly contributed to providing for additional train frequencies or higher train speeds have come as safety improvement grants through Federal Highway Administration programs known as the Railway-Highway Crossing Hazard Elimination in High Speed Rail Corridors, commonly referred to as Section 1010 funds under ISTEA, and Section 1103(c) funds under TEA-21. These funds have totaled only $10 million over the last ten years on the PNWRC. This low level of funding of passenger rail corridors by the federal government will not allow the full build-out of the PNWRC as currently planned. However, as of this writing, legislation currently before Congress would go a long way toward this end.

21 Reauthorization of TEA-21, titled the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (H.R. 3), would, among other things, enhance the railroad rehabilitation and improvement financing program, known as RIFF, which is provided under 45 USC 802, to allow for passenger-related projects to be financed through it. It also includes key passenger rail and rail freight provisions of the Swift Rail Development Act (U.S.C. 49 Section 26101) and adds rolling stock and program development costs to the list of other eligible costs. Also being debated, as of this writing, is the Rail Infrastructure Development and Expansion Act for the 21st Century (RIDE 21) - (H.R. 1631). This bill, which was debated in the previous congressional session, will allow states or interstate compacts to issue up to $12 billion in federally tax-exempt bonds and up to $12 billion in federal tax-credit bonds for financing high-speed rail infrastructure improvements over ten years. It would also reauthorize and modify the Swift Rail Development Act, providing $100 million annually in general fund grants for technology development and development of corridor projects such as acquisition of locomotives, rolling stock, track, and signal equipment. RIDE 21 would also modify the RIFF program to make it clear that loans can be granted for high-speed rail. Province of British Columbia and the Second Train to Vancouver As previously noted, capacity constraints in British Columbia keep the Seattle- Bellingham train from serving Vancouver, BC. These capacity constraints have been examined and debated by Amtrak, BNSF, the British Columbia provincial government, and Canadian federal government. In addition, WSDOT and other interested parties have been pursuing resolution to the constraints. Key to securing funding from Canadian interests is the resolution of the precise capacity that is required.

22 As of this writing, BNSF and the Province of British Columbia are in negotiations to decide on the improvements required and how much each party will contribute to the cost. WSDOT remains hopeful that these negotiations will be fruitful. Washington State and the Initiative Process The state of Washington has been a driving force and a major contributor to the efforts to maintain and expand Amtrak Cascades service. However, even its finances are not guaranteed. While the intercity passenger rail program enjoys support in the legislature and of the new Governor, citizen initiatives have put the program in jeopardy in the past and can again. In 2001, a citizen s initiative aimed at cutting the fees for motor vehicle registration drastically reduced funds available for non-highway transportation modes. The state s gas tax is limited by constitutional amendment to use on roadways and vehicle ferries. As a result, many of WSDOT s planned improvement projects on the PNWRC were delayed substantially. Fortunately, the operating subsidies for the Washington segment of the Amtrak Cascades were not cut. Since that time, the legislature and Governor have passed increases in other transportation fees, along with increases in the gas tax, in 2003 and in This has allowed many, but not all, of the previously delayed improvement projects to proceed. However, these fees can again become the target of a future citizen initiative. CONCLUSION The vision of reduced travel times and better passenger rail service in the Pacific Northwest began in the late 1980s. This vision continues today on the federally designated Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor through the operation of the Amtrak Cascades service.

23 Rail corridor development is a cooperative effort of many entities, including the states of Oregon and Washington, BNSF, Union Pacific Railroad, Amtrak, Sound Transit, and the Province of British Columbia. WSDOT s updated plan for intercity passenger rail service will follow a step-by-step approach that links specific sets of construction projects to service improvements. These service improvements are grouped into six distinct building blocks that can be introduced to the traveling public over time. The total cost for all the construction and equipment necessary to achieve WSDOT s service goals for intercity passenger rail service between Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. is estimated at $5.0 to $5.5 billion, in 2003 dollars. The intercity service will also require operating subsidies each year as the capital investments are put in place. Upon completion of the capital investment plan, WSDOT s projections show that the service could carry nearly three million passengers per year and operate with limited or no public subsidy, depending on prices charged for passenger fares. WSDOT s updated long-range plan for Amtrak Cascades is intended to serve as the state s blueprint for the development of intercity passenger service. However, there is only limited funding currently available to execute the plan. If WSDOT s long-range plan is to be completed in a reasonable time frame, the federal government must become an active funding partner, just as it is in other transportation programs. The absence of federal funding will prevent WSDOT and it s partners from fully implementing this plan and will severely limit their ability to add faster, more frequent service in the years ahead. Finally, the cooperation between Amtrak, Oregon, Washington, BNSF Railway, and Union Pacific Railroad resulted in the successes achieved to date. For the Amtrak Cascades and

24 the PNWRC to succeed in attaining WSDOT s long-term goals, this cooperation must be maintained and broadened to include agencies in British Columbia, Canada.

25 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Linda Amato, AICP President/Project Manager The Resource Group Teresa Graham Rail Secretary Supervisor Washington State DOT Rail Office DJ Mitchell Assistant VP, Rail Passenger Services BNSF Railway Jeffery T. Schultz Rail Operations and Technical Expert Washington State DOT Rail Office Carolyn Simmonds Rail Planning and Grade-Crossing Specialist Washington State DOT Rail Office Thomas White Rail Operations Expert Transit Safety Management

26 REFERENCES No published material is directly citied in this document.

27 EXHIBITS Exhibit 1 Map of Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor

28 Exhibit 2 Amtrak Cascades Current Schedule

29 Exhibit 3 Photograph of the Amtrak Cascades equipment taken in 1999

30 Exhibit 4 Amtrak Cascades Capital Investment History: Portland-Seattle-Bellingham-Vancouver, B.C. Funding Source BNSF Railway Company Washington State (WSDOT and Washington State Transportation Improvement Board) Amtrak Federal Funds for stations and safety projects (non-amtrak, Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration) Sound Transit and the Federal Transit Administration (projects improve rail system capacity that benefit commuter, intercity passenger and freight services) Oregon (Union Station to the Columbia River) Local/other for stations Total Capital Investment Amount $9.4 million $104.6 million $85.0 million $43.1 million $163.0 million $14.0 million $13.6 million $432.7 million Exhibit 5 Amtrak Cascades Projected Future Ridership Washington Segment Only Corridor 2004 Mid-point 2023 Seattle to Vancouver, BC 156, , ,700 Seattle to Portland, OR 351, ,100 1,916,400 Portland, OR to Vancouver, BC NA 59, ,200 Total* 508,298 1,410,100 2,995,300 Source: Washington State Department of Transportation Rail Office and the unpublished Amtrak Cascades Ridership and Revenue Forecasts Technical Paper, 2004.

31 LIST OF EXHIBITS Exhibit 1 Map of Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Exhibit 2 Amtrak Cascades Current Schedule Exhibit 3 Photograph of the Amtrak Cascades equipment taken in 1999 Exhibit 4 Table: Amtrak Cascades Capital Investment History: ,Portland- Seattle-Bellingham-Vancouver, B.C. Exhibit 5 Table: Amtrak Cascades Projected Future Ridership: Washington Segment Only