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High-SpeedTransportation Opportunities

Greater Dallas Planning Council

September 12, 2019

Kevin Feldt

North Central Texas Council of Governments

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High Speed RailHigh-Speed Rail Recommendations

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High Speed RailDFW High-Speed Rail Projects

Fort Worth to Laredo High-Speed Transportation Study

NCTCOG

Dallas to HoustonHigh-Speed Rail ProjectTexas Central Railway (TCR)

DFW High-SpeedTransportation Connection Study

NCTCOG

4 February 11, 2018

We Are Here

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Dallas to Houston

Dallas

Houston

Bryan/College Station/Huntsville

FRA Preferred Alignment

Potential Stations

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Current TCR Activity Highlights

•Building the Project Every Day

•Working with Design/Build Partner

• Preparing for Construction Activity

• Petition for Rulemaking Granted by FRA• Rule of Particular Applicability

• Final Rule Expected in 2020

• Environmental Impact Statement• Record of Decision Expected 1Q 2020

Source: Texas Central Railway

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Other Activities

•Perkins + Will Study for Dallas

• Lot E Feasibility

• No Fatal Flaw

Source: Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam

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Dallas Station

Source: Texas Central Railway

Lot E

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Fort Worth to Laredo

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Fort Worth to Laredo

• Generally Parallels IH 35• Fort Worth

• Waco

• Temple

• Killeen

• Austin

• San Antonio

• Laredo*

• Investigate High-Speed Transportation (HST) Options• Corridors• Technology• Modes of Travel

*In Laredo, the end point/station location will be studied as to not

preclude extending an alignment to Monterrey, Mexico

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Project Background

2017

Previous StudyTOPRS ROD and FEIS

Tier 1 NEPA Study

Future

Future StudyFurther Corridor

EvaluationTier 2 NEPA Study

2019 2020

Current StudyBridge – Previous to Future

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Project Purpose

Fort Worth

Waco

Austin

San Antonio

Laredo

Killeen-Temple

• “Bridge” to Tier 2 Environmental Study

• Investigate High-Speed Transportation (HST) Options• Corridors

• Technology

• Modes of Travel

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TOPRS Tier 1 Corridor Analysis

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Technologies/Modes Analyzed

MaglevHigh-Speed &Higher-Speed Trains

Hyperloop

Guaranteed TransitRegional Rail

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City Pairs Analyzed

Fort Worth Laredo

Study Corridor

Fort Worth – Laredo: All Stops

Fort Worth – Austin – San Antonio – Laredo

Fort Worth – Austin – Laredo

Fort Worth – Laredo

Fort Worth Waco Killeen-Temple Austin San Antonio

Laredo

Fort Worth Waco Killeen-Temple Austin San Antonio

Laredo

Fort Worth Austin San Antonio

Laredo

Fort Worth Austin Laredo

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Project Schedule

March April May June July August

September October November December JanuaryAugust

Review Technology & Design Criteria

Review Previous StudiesCorridor Development

Corridor Development Final Report

Stakeholder Coordination

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Fort Worth to Dallas

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Fort Worth to Dallas High-SpeedTransportation Study• Previous Efforts

• TxDOT• DFW Core Express Service

• NCTCOG• Station Area Studies• Corridor Analysis

• New Project Next Steps• Complete Agreements with FRA and FTA• Complete Scope of Work• Publish RFP – October?• Hire Consultant• Notice to Proceed – February?

Source: Hua Yang

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DFW Core Express Service Alternatives Analysis

Downtown Dallas

Downtown Fort Worth

Arlington

Grand Prairie

Irving

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Potential Arlington Station and Alignment Options

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Potential Fort Worth Station and Alignment Options

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Alignment Corridors Analyzed by NCTCOG

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Proposed Texas Central HSRAlignment Corridors Analyzed

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New Project Scope of Work

• Public & Agency Involvement

• Alternative Development

• Alternative Screening

• Conceptual Engineering

Phase 1 – Alternative Development

• NEPA Documentation & Record of Decision

• Preliminary Engineering

• Financial & Project Management Plans

Phase 2 – Engineering & Environmental

Includes a technology forum

Includes alignments & technology

Pre

-NEP

AN

EPA

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Technology

Source: AECOM

Source: AECOM

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Two Primary Technologies

Characteristic High-Speed Rail Hyperloop

Top Speed ~220 mph ~700 mph

Headway 30 minutes 2 minutes

Station Spacing 250 miles 250 miles

Person Capacity 2,400/hour/direction1 16,000/hour/direction2

Operation Scheduled Service On Demand

Access Multiple Stops Point to Point

Cost ~$60m/mile ???

Freight No Yes

Notes: 1 Estimate based on NCTCOG calculations combining stated headway and train set capacity from TCR2 Estimate from Virgin Hyperloop One

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What is Hyperloop?

•New Mode of Transportation• Moving Passengers and Freight

• Near-Vacuum Tube

• Electric Propulsion

•Autonomous Pod Levitates Above the Track

•Glides Over Long Distances

Passenger pod

Cargo pod

Source: Virgin Hyperloop One

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Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO)

•VHO One of Several Firms

• Several Meetings With Staff

•Hyperloop On The Hill Event

•Nevada Test Track

•Passenger Pod Tour

•Certification Center• Research and Development

Source: Kevin Feldt

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Nevada Test Track

Source: Kevin Feldt

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Passenger Pod Tour

Source: Kevin Feldt

Source: NCTCOG

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VHO Certification Center Phasing and Timing

Phase Timing Length of Track

A 18 months1.5 km (straight)

(0.9 mi)

B 9 months3 to 5 km

(1.9 to 3.1 mi)

C 9 Months 0

D 9 Months6 to 8 km

(3.7 to 5.0 mi)

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Hyperloop Design Parameters

✓Need For Service/Access Road Along The Guideway

✓Vacuum Buildings Every 5 Miles

X Design Elements

X Maximum Vertical Grade

X Minimum Horizontal Curve

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747 In-flight Turn Radius

Calculate the radius of the turn using this formula, slightly

modified from Wikipedia to give nmi instead of feet:

Which gives us:

So the turn itself would be about 15 nautical miles wide(≈ 91,000 feet) not accounting for wind.

Source: Wikipedia

Radius of turn in nautical miles = velocity2

68579 x tan(bank)

7.51 nmi = 4902

68579 x tan(25°)

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Typical Section DRAFT

* Horizontal and vertical clearances allow for the area needed to construct, operate and maintain the guideway and supporting facilities.** Minimum vertical clearance over roadways is 5 m or 16.5 ft. Vertical clearance of 5.6 m or 18.5 ft would be required over interstate highways and other roadway corridors designated for freight. Vertical clearance over passenger or freight railroads would be 7 m or 23 ft.

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

4 m13.1 ft

4 m13.1 ft

13 m42.7 ft

4 m13.1 ft

Vertical Clearance*

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

10 to 10.6 m32.9 to 34.9 ft

Vertical Clearance

Over Roadway**5 to 5.6 m

16.5 to 18.5 ft

Horizontal Clearance*

Horizontal Clearance*

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Typical Section DRAFT

* Horizontal and vertical clearances allow for the area needed to construct, operate and maintain the guideway and supporting facilities.** Minimum vertical clearance over roadways is 5 m or 16.5 ft. Vertical clearance of 5.6 m or 18.5 ft would be required over interstate highways and other roadway corridors designated for freight. Vertical clearance over passenger or freight railroads would be 7 m or 23 ft.

5 m16.4 ft

Tube 4 m

13.1 ft4 m

13.1 ft

Horizontal Clearance*

19 m62.3 ft

4 m13.1 ft

Vertical Clearance*

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

9 m29.5 ft

Horizontal Clearance*

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

1 m3.3 ft

Vertical Clearance

Over Roadway**5 to 5.6 m

16.5 to 18.5 ft

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Typical Section DRAFT* Horizontal and vertical clearances allow for the area needed to construct, operate and maintain the guideway and supporting facilities.** Minimum vertical clearance over roadways is 5 m or 16.5 ft. Vertical clearance of 5.6 m or 18.5 ft would be required over interstate highways and other roadway corridors designated for freight. Vertical clearance over passenger or freight railroads would be 7 m or 23 ft.

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

4 m13.1 ft

4 m13.1 ft

26.5 m = 87 ft

4 m13.1 ft

Vertical Clearance*

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

10 to 10.6 m32.9 to 34.9 ft

Vertical Clearance

Over Roadway**5 to 5.6 m

16.5 to 18.5 ft

Horizontal Clearance*

Horizontal Clearance*

8.5 m28 ft

AV/Roadway

5 m16.4 ft

Tube

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Potential Certification Track Alignments

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Certification Center• Working with Dallas Regional Chamber• Anticipate RFP Published in November

• Will be Interactive (No “Cone of Silence”)• Three Focus Areas

• Land • Regulatory• Funding

• Involvement • Universities• Trade Groups• Transportation Industry

• Planners• Engineers• Contractors

• Finance and Funding Key Components

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Contact

Kevin FeldtProgram Managerkfeldt@nctcog.org

(817) 704-2529