11

The Peninsula Subdivision

For

The Hampton Roads Partnership

Quintin C. Kendall

Resident Vice President—State Government Affairs

July 17, 2009

222

Status of Peninsula Passenger Rail Service, Pre-Stimulus

Newport News is currently served by two Amtrak train sets

Phase I of Virginia State Rail Plans contemplated extending three additional Washington-Richmond regional trains to Newport News, for a total of five daily trains, by 2015 and an additional four trains providing hourly services during peak periods by 2020

New service assumed Richmond Terminal improvements, new station at Newport News, operating speeds of 70 mph and on-time performance greater than 85%

$14 million available to fund 30% preliminary engineering and design for needed capacity projects between Fredericksburg and Newport News, but no funding programmed for $300-400 million necessary for construction

333

Status of Peninsula Passenger Rail Service, Post-Stimulus

An additional $10 million secured for 30% preliminary engineering and design for Richmond area

Virginia’s stimulus proposal accelerates RF&P capacity projects (third/fourth main lines) and Richmond area improvements, which were originally planned to begin in 2012

Stimulus proposal also includes Hampton Roads service, with no specified alignment, pending completion of Tier I Draft EIS this summer

Cost estimates between $330 million and $844 million depending on route and service

Improvements necessary to accommodate higher speed rail will require extensive modeling to ensure proper capacity is added

Higher speed rail requires more capacity, Class 6 track, signal upgrades; appropriate scheduling will critical for introduction of any new service

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Of the 57 daily Amtrak trains operated on CSXT, the Newport News trains are some of the poorest performersOf the 57 daily Amtrak trains operated on CSXT, the Newport News trains are some of the poorest performers

2008 CSX On Time Contract Performance

All Amtrak Trains (57) 77.5%

All I-95 Trains (52/53, 79/80, 89/90, 91/92, 97/98) 74.1%

All Peninsula Subdivision Trains 51.9%

Source: CSXT-Amtrak Contract Performance System

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Any given train’s performance is largely driven by three factorsAny given train’s performance is largely driven by three factors

Physical characteristics of the operating territory– Single/double track?– Signal System?

The operating mix of train traffic– How many trains?– What kinds of trains?

The validity of schedules – Can they be reliably maintained?– Do they adjust for known activities?

66

CSXT’s DC to Richmond segment – the RF&P – is one of our busiest multi-use, double track corridors CSXT’s DC to Richmond segment – the RF&P – is one of our busiest multi-use, double track corridors

110 miles of double track with centralized traffic control

48 daily passenger/commuter trains– 18 Amtrak trains– 30 VRE commuter trains– 38 daily MARC trains

adjacent to line

25 - 30 daily freight trains

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In contrast to the DC to Richmond segment, the corridor from Richmond to Newport News is 61% single trackIn contrast to the DC to Richmond segment, the corridor from Richmond to Newport News is 61% single track

Single and double track with Automatic Block Signals

Amtrak trains– 4 Richmond to Newport News

Freight Trains– 12 – 15 Fulton to Newport

News

– 16 – 27 Rivanna Jct to Fulton

– Predominantly coal trains up to 1.5 miles in length

– Moving far slower than Amtrak

88

The differences in actual and minimum run time, and speeds, are much larger on the Peninsula than on the RF&PThe differences in actual and minimum run time, and speeds, are much larger on the Peninsula than on the RF&P

Limited infrastructure

Maintenance work affects all operations on single track

Reliability low for both passenger and freight trains, but freight train impacts are extreme

99

Speed Differentials: An Illustration

Coal Train 150 mphTrack A

Coal Train 250 mph Track B

Passenger Train79 mph

44 miles

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Passenger Rail Reliability on Peninsula Subdivision revolves around CSX coal volumePassenger Rail Reliability on Peninsula Subdivision revolves around CSX coal volume

The recent surge in export coal was totally unanticipated

– Unprecedented year over year growth from 2007 to 2008

Followed decade-old trend of significantly declining loads

– In 2006, NPN coal exports dipped to their 3rd lowest level in 25 years

– Accordingly, planners programmed scarce capital maintenance dollars for other, more needy areas (More on this later)

3rd Lowest

in 25 Years

4th Highest

in 25 Years

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Congestion in Richmond needs to be addressed to ensure reliable service to the PeninsulaCongestion in Richmond needs to be addressed to ensure reliable service to the Peninsula

Conflicting routes

– North-South: Intermodal, merchandise, unit, and passenger trains

– West-East-West: Coal moves between Clifton Forge & Newport News; returning empties via BBRR

– West-South: Coal moves between Clifton Forge and Wheelwright/Hopewell

– West-North: Coal moves between Clifton Forge and RF&P destinations

Grain run-arounds at Fulton Yard

Turning locomotives at AY

Industrial switching

Amtrak moves over SAY

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Passenger service between Richmond Staples Mill Station and Newport News has significant issues. The key to improving performance and adding more Amtrak service is to reduce the potential conflict locations

Richmond Terminal

— Fulton

Newport News Terminal

Peninsula Subdivision

— Acca

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Currently a single track route by Acca

Crosses flow at AY

Single track Bellwood Sub – Rivanna Connection route

Acca Yard Passenger movements today have conflict areas

New East Side Acca Bypass

Double Track Bellwood Sub – Rivanna Sub Connection Route

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Fulton Yard Area passenger movements offer similar challenges

Main on north side of the yard is operated under ABS Rule 251 Egypt to R Cabin

New 3rd Main to be constructed between R Cabin and Beulah

Parallel movement for:

– Newport News and

Fulton turn trains

– BBRR/Clifton

Forge bound trains

– Amtrak trains

Tide / Passenger

BBRR / Passenger

•New 3rd Main

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Potential Peninsula Sub conventional rail improvements include new sections of double track and universal crossovers

Double Track connecting Newport News Terminal to Oriana with new universals at Hampton Roads and Oriana– provides 25 miles of continuous DT to Toppings.

A new DT segment at White Oak with center universal crossover.

Universal crossovers added to the Norge – Diana DT segment.

New Univ. Crossovers

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The focus in Newport News is to eliminate the interaction between coal and passenger movements

Today, Amtrak passengers detrain on the south side of the terminal

Equipment must be repositioned to the north side for storage

The proposed configuration redirects all passenger activity to the northern side of the property

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Guidelines for Partnerships to Expand Co-Mingled Freight and Passenger RailGuidelines for Partnerships to Expand Co-Mingled Freight and Passenger Rail

Access to host railroad track and property must be negotiated between the parties on a voluntary basis

Designing for safety is paramount and separate tracks will be needed to segregate freight and conventional passenger rail from high speed rail at sustained speeds in excess of 90 mph

Service to rail freight customers must be reliable and protected and cannot be compromised; adequate capacity must be maintained and, in some cases, built to address future freight growth

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Guidelines for Partnerships to Expand Co-Mingled Freight and Passenger RailGuidelines for Partnerships to Expand Co-Mingled Freight and Passenger Rail

New infrastructure design must fully protect the host railroad’s ability to serve its existing customers, both passenger and freight, and locate future new freight customers on its lines

Host railroads must be adequately compensated, especially in regard to the significantly higher maintenance cost associated with enhanced track infrastructure that will be required for high speed rail

Host freight railroads need to be fully protected against any and all liability that would not have resulted but for the added presence of high speed passenger rail service