Passenger Rail Initiatives in Louisiana

2016 Louisiana Transportation Conference

February 29, 2016

• Introduction

• Baton Rouge to New Orleans

• Shreveport to Vicksburg

• Way Ahead

Agenda

History

1982 – Louisiana – Mississippi – Alabama Rapid Rail Commission (now Southern Rail Commission) created by U.S. Congress

1986 – New Orleans Regional Rail Transit Program study

1995 – Deep South High Speed Rail Corridor Feasibility Study

1998 – Gulf Coast High Speed Rail Corridor formally designated in federal TEA-21 legislation

2007 – Lake Charles to Meridian Corridor Development Plan

2010 – Baton Rouge to New Orleans Intercity Passenger Rail Study

2013 – Baton Rouge to New Orleans Passenger Rail Feasibility Study:

Summary of Prior and On-Going Efforts, March 2013

Funding and Financing Options, September 2013

Capital and Operating Plan, September 2013

2015 – North Louisiana Passenger Rail Feasibility Study

Benefits of Passenger Rail Service

• Transportation Benefits - Alternative mode of travel in the corridor

- Reliable travel time

- Evacuation

- Comfort and productivity

- Trip cost savings

- Reduction of vehicle emissions

- Safety

• Economic Benefits - Increases in productivity

- Improved access to jobs

- Development opportunities at stations

Regional Partnership

• New Orleans Regional Planning Commission

• Capital Region Planning Commission

• Baton Rouge Area Foundation

Study Goals

• Confirm realistic capital and operating costs and incremental phasing plan

• Develop partnerships of individuals and groups supporting the implementation of rail service

• Develop Business Plan that lays out steps for incremental implementation and strategies for funding

• Identify key next steps to move the project forward

Baton Rouge – New Orleans Rail Study

• Intercity passenger service operated by Amtrak

• 2 round trips per day

• 79 MPH maximum speeds

• Lease trainsets

• Station stops: - Baton Rouge Downtown

- Baton Rouge Suburban

- Gonzales

- LaPlace

- New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport – Kenner

- Jefferson Parish

- New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal

Proposed Initial Service

Proposed Station Locations

Proposals to move station location approximately 1 mile south from Florida St. to Government St.

Proposals to move station north towards Essen Ln. and coordinate with Medical Complex Master Plan

Need to identify optimum location to access future north-side airport terminal

Additional station proposed in vicinity of Zephyr Field

Consider proposal to move station to Sorrento to provide more direct access to jobs

Location identified in 2010 Plan

Existing Amtrak Station

Gonzales Station Prototype

• Locate in proximity to diversity of residential and commercial land uses

• Direct access to local amenities • Maximize connectivity to existing

street grid

Rail Station Development Strategies:

• Connect to greenways • Contain land for development • Provide opportunities for place

making and community building

• Extending passing and industrial sidings

• Replacing Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge

• Selectively repairing and replacing KCS open deck timber bridges

• Installing lights and gates at all unprotected public grade crossings

• Install Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) signal system on KCS

• Double track entire CN segment

• New stations and parking facilities

• Approximately $250 million total cost

Proposed Capital Improvements

Revised Capital Recommendations

Majo r Cost Item

Estimated Cost ($ Millions 2013 Dollars)

KCS CN East Bridge

Junction NOUPT Corridor TOTAL

Site & Track Work

$66.4 $39.8 $4.3 $6.6 $117.1

Structures $87.8 $97.8

Signals $22.2 $3.1 $25.3

Engineering & Management

$12.4 $3.0 $0.3 $15.7

Rolling Stock $0.0 $0.0

Stations $9.0 $9.0

TOTAL $188.8 $45.9 $4.6 $6.6 $9.0 $254.9

2010 Service Development Plan Recommended Improvements: $447.8 Million

• The Case for Passenger Rail Service

• Proposed Operations

• Capital Improvements

• Operating Costs and Revenues

• Potential Funding Sources

• Next Steps

Strategic Business Plan

• Identify organizations to lead the advancement of the rail corridor project

Organizations that could take lead role include: - NORPC and CRPC

- DOTD

- Louisiana Intrastate Rail Compact

- Southern Rail Commission

- Public/Private Partnerships

• Pursue federal funding sources for the initial capital investments

• Identify state, regional and local funding sources for capital match and operating expenses

Next Steps

• Encourage investments in the rail corridor through existing programs

- Grade Crossing Improvements

- Other Opportunities

• Explore strategies for funding the replacement of the Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge

• Develop consensus on station locations

• Initiate National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation (EIS/EA/FONSI) and Service Development Plan (SDP)

• Continued development of stakeholder and public support

Next Steps

North Louisiana Passenger Rail Study

Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments (NLCOG)

− Goals:

• Route alternatives

• Operating characteristics

• Ridership & revenue

• Infrastructure needs

• Station locations

• Estimated costs

Existing Planning

• Meridian Speedway Joint venture between Kansas City

Southern and Norfolk Southern

Key east/west freight route

• Existing tracks from Shreveport

- Vicksburg Maintained at FRA Class 4 standards

Several locations with reduced speeds

20 sidings

More than 60 business tracks serving

freight customers

Initial Service

• Intercity passenger service operated by Amtrak

• 170 mile corridor

• Two daily round trips; Shreveport/Bossier City to

Vicksburg, MS

• Interim stops: Ruston and Monroe

• 79 mph

• Leased train sets

READ DOWN READ UP

101 103 Station 102 104

7:30 AM 5:00 PM Shreveport/Bossier City, LA 10:05 AM 7:32 PM

8:25 AM 5:55 PM Ruston, LA 9:09 AM 6:39 PM

8:59 AM 6:30 PM Monroe, LA 8:38 AM 6:09 PM

9:56 AM 7:34 PM Vicksburg, MS 7:40 AM 5:10 PM

Proposed StationsPlan-Stations

• Identified multiple potential station locations

• Coordinated with local planning staff

• Representative station location

- To confirm feasibility and develop capital costs

• Formal alternative station site analysis required

before selecting a preferred station location

- Detailed station analysis typically occurs during

environmental (NEPA) study

- Includes formal public input

oLeased Equipmentlling

• Utilize Amtrak

equipment

1 Locomotive

2 coach cars (70 seats each)

1 Non-powered control unit

(cab/baggage car)

3 train consists

2 Operational

1 Spare

• Estimate costs directly associated with train

operations:

Train crew and other labor costs

Fuel

Maintenance of equipment

Operation and maintenance of stations

Host railroad access fees

• Estimate shared costs:

Administrative overhead

Ticketing

System marketing

• $9,644,000 Annual O&M Costs

Operating Cost Estimates

• Annual Ridership/Revenue

Shreveport-Vicksburg

81,500 annual riders

$1,353,000 annual revenue

With Dallas/Ft. Worth connection

181,000 annual riders

$3,365,000 annual revenue

Ridership and Revenue Projections

The difference between the operating cost and passenger revenue must be subsidized.

• States are typically responsible for covering operating subsidy (per federal legislation)

• Potential use of federal CMAQ grant funding to offset operating costs

Operating Subsidy Requirement

Annual Estimated O&M Costs (9,644,000)

Annual Forecasted Revenue + 1,353,000

Annual Operating Subsidy $ (8,291,000)

− Investigate Future Potential Corridor Analysis

− Coordination with Amtrak East Texas Study (Ft. Worth-

Shreveport) and other regional stakeholders

− Ft. Worth/Dallas, TX -Meridian, MS (possibly

Birmingham, AL)

− Service development planning and environmental study

(NEPA)

− Formal station/facilities site alternatives analysis

− Formal coordination with KCS Railroad

Next Steps

Funding and Financing Options

State Rail Plan

- Meets federal requirements - Includes profile of both

freight and passenger rail systems

- Identifies passenger rail initiatives including Baton Rouge to New Orleans

- Identifies long-term rail investment strategies

- Includes a program of rail improvements

Southern Rail Commission Vision

Future

BACK UP SLIDES

2016 Louisiana Transportation Conference

February 29, 2016

Conceptual Shreveport/Bossier City Station

Note: Passenger terminal building, platform, and parking are included in conceptual plan to understand maximum site constraints.

• Traffic Street Station without maintenance facility

• Traffic Street Station with maintenance facility

Shreveport/Bossier City – Future Considerations

• Shreveport

Intermodal

Transit Facility

Local bus

Regional bus

Taxi

Bike path access

Future Intermodal

Transit Facility

Conceptual Ruston Station

Conceptual Monroe Station

Conceptual Vicksburg Station

• Stand-alone Shreveport-Vicksburg service

Daily Ridership

Daily Ridership

• Shreveport-Vicksburg service, with Dallas/Ft. Worth

Connection

Major Capital Projects

Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge

- Two mile long timber bridge across the spillway in poor condition – freight speeds are limited to 10 mph

- Cost of building new bridge at this location approximately $62 Million

KCS Improvements

Drainage Canal New Sarpy

Acadian Thruway Baton Rouge

LA-22 Sorrento

Current Projects

New Orleans Rail Gateway

- EIS underway to evaluate benefits and impacts of proposed improvements to freight rail network

- Includes East Bridge Junction

East Bridge Junction

California Capitol Corridor Case Study

Oakland/San Francisco Sacramento

Major city Capitol City

New Orleans Baton Rouge

Major city Capitol City

89 miles

86 miles

Both corridors have major travel markets to/from the state capital & beyond

and parallel busy interstate highways

California’s Capitol Corridor Experience

4RT 6RT 7RT 9RT 10RT 11RT 12RT 16RT

$0

$5,000,000

$10,000,000

$15,000,000

$20,000,000

$25,000,000

$30,000,000

$35,000,000

$40,000,000

$45,000,000

$50,000,000

-

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1,800,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

463,000

1,750,000

30% 31% 38% 37% 40% 36% 43% 39% 48% 46% 55% 47% 47% 49% 50%

Annual Farebox Recovery Ratio

The Capitol Corridor: Then and Now

1998 2013

New Agency Created Now: 3rd busiest Amtrak route

4 round trips (2’ 20” travel time)

8 daily trains, 7 stations

16 round trips (1’ 58” travel time)

32 daily trains, 7 stations

Maximum speed: 79 mph Maximum speed: 79 mph

463,000 annual riders 1,750,000 annual riders

$6.25 million revenue $29.6 million revenue

29.8% farebox recovery 50% farebox recovery

No ‘transfers’ to local bus/rail Transit Transfers ‘free’ to riders

$.34 cost/passenger mile $.18 cost/passenger mile

Annual state subsidy $12 million Annual state subsidy $23 million

85% on-time 94% on-time (best in the US)

Project-by-project agreements Master Construction & Maintenance Agreement

Click to edit Master title style

North Louisiana Passenger

Rail Feasibility Study

Stakeholder Meetings

July 16, 2015

Bossier City: 11 a.m.-12:30 PM Bossier Parish Community College 6220 E. Texas Street

Ruston: 6:00 – 7:30 PM Lincoln Parish Library 910 N. Trenton Street

Summary

Baton Rouge – New Orleans Route Ownership

North End of Segment

South End of Segment

Segment Name Owner Operating Railroads

Length (miles)

Baton Rouge MP 788.1

Frellsen Jct. MP 855.7

New Orleans Subdivision

Kansas City Southern

KCS 67.5

Frellsen Jct. MP 443.5

Orleans Jct. MP 444.2

Baton Rouge Subdivision

Canadian National

CN, KCS 0.7

Orleans Jct. MP 900.8

Southport Jct. MP 908.6

McComb Subdivision

Canadian National

CN, KCS, Amtrak

7.8

Southport Jct. MP 3.7

NOUPT MP 0.0

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal

New Orleans Building Corporation

Amtrak 3.7

CORRIDOR TOTALS 79.7

Revised Capital Recommendations

Majo Cost Item

Estimated Cost ($ Millions 2013 Dollars)

KCS CN East Bridge

Junction NOUPT Corridor TOTAL

Site & Track Work

$66.4 $39.8 $4.3 $6.6 $117.1

Structures $87.8 $97.8

Signals $22.2 $3.1 $25.3

Engineering & Management

$12.4 $3.0 $0.3 $15.7

Rolling Stock $0.0 $0.0

Stations $9.0 $9.0

TOTAL $188.8 $45.9 $4.6 $6.6 $9.0 $254.9

2010 Service Development Plan Recommended Improvements: $447.8 Million

Key Savings Current Study vs. 2010 Study

2010 Study Current Study Savings

Extend Baton Rouge Yard Lead and construct 4 bridges

Moving station to Government St. eliminates need for these improvements

$25 Million

Extend Essen Siding from 5,000 ft. to 9,000 ft.

Do not extend – not needed for reduced number of trips

$5 Million

Extend McElroy Siding from 5,000 ft. to 9,000 ft.

Do not extend – not needed for reduced number of trips

$5 Million

Build 12 new bridges for sidings and replace all open-deck timber bridges on KCS portion of corridor - 76 total

Only build 8 bridges needed for sidings, replace Bonnet Carré’ and 12 other bridges and repair remaining 44 bridges

$42 Million

Key Savings Current Study vs. 2010 Study

2010 Study Current Study Savings

Install PTC signal systems on both KCS and CN

Railroads will install to meet 2015 federal deadline

$49 Million

Purchase new trainsets for this corridor service

Lease trains from Amtrak or other operator

$58 Million

Engineering & Management calculated at 7% of construction costs

Reduced construction costs reduce Engineering & Management costs $10 Million

Build 6 new stations Build 7 stations including additional station in Jefferson Parish

-$1.5 Million

Total Savings from 2010 Service Development Plan $192.9 Million

Annual Operating Cost and Subsidy

Factors 2010 SDP Revised 2013

Round Trips/Day 4 2

Annual Operating Expense $18.51 Million $8.88 Million

Estimated Ridership 461,000 210,000

Estimated Revenue $3.95 Million $2.10 Million

Estimated Deficit (Subsidy) $14.56 Million $6.77 Million

Notes: • 2010 Estimates include 20% contingency. • 2013 Estimates are based on Amtrak Section 209 formulas and do not include a

contingency. • 2013 Estimates includes annual expense of $1.6 Million for lease of equipment. • 2010 Ridership projected using transit model which underestimates potential

ridership for special events and other non-commuting trips • 2013 Study did not include detailed demand analysis. Ridership estimate based

on experience of comparable routes in other states.

• Route infrastructure assessment

• Cost estimates

• Ridership and revenue estimates

• Development of schedules and stops

• Estimate operating and start-up costs

• Estimate state subsidy requirements

• Terminal location in the Shreveport/Bossier City

• Stakeholder involvement

• Final report

Scope of Work

• Second set of outreach meetings to present study findings. The invitation list included key regional stakeholders such as:

− Elected officials

− Agency leaders

− Business community leaders

− Employers

− Colleges and universities

− Freight railroads

− Amtrak

• Final e-mail newsletter summarizing study distributed to stakeholder list

Stakeholder Involvement

OPurpose of Studyperating Plan-

Stations Maintenance Facilities

• Station needs

• Station cities

• Maintenance/layover facility

- Shreveport/Bossier City station site or existing freight facility to

reduce capital costs

Station platform Traffic access

Canopy Parking

Lighting Safety related improvements

Shreveport/Bossier City Monroe

Ruston Vicksburg

• Site requirements Approximately 9 acres

Room for station facility, parking, platforms, overnight storage track

Availability of land

Availability of public utilities

• Location requirements On, or with direct access to KCS Mainline

Walking access to casinos, motels and hotels, and other attractions

Accessibility to local and regional transportation network

Shreveport/Bossier Station Analysis

Proposed Capital ExpendituresitaCos

Estimates

• FRA Standard Cost Categories

• High level cost estimates with 35% contingency

• Cost Estimates for:

Track improvements

Bridges

Signals

Right-of-way

Stations

Layover and Support Facilities

• $85,400,000

IProposed Capital Improvementsts

• Nine miles of new track

Extend existing sidings

• Six miles of track

rehabilitation

• Seven bridge replacements

• Grade crossing improvements

• Assumes freight railroad

upgrades to signal system Additional coordination with KCS and NS required to confirm proposed improvements

• State tax sources

• Grant and loan programs

PRIIA established an 80/20 (federal/state) cost share

Federal funding availability is subject to future appropriations

• Innovative funding techniques Public-private partnerships, economic development districts, tax

increment financing districts and bonding

• Identify financial instruments that can capture

economic value from the new development of

stations and their surrounding areas

Capital Funding