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Can anyone tell me what class "Shortline Railroad" falls? Is it Class II or Class III? Also where can I fine more information on the "Class" definitions.
Thanks in advance. LocoFan.
CG96 Member # 1408
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The classifications are according to either the STB or the American ***'n of Railroads. They are based upon before taxes income. Wither or not a railroad is class 2 or 3 depends upon the railroad's income. The higher the income, the lower the class rating (ie, high income = Class 1, lower income = Class 2, etc.)
Lewis Ames Member # 3902
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Regarding U.S. shortline railroads, I’m interested in seeing new U.S. railroad based rail transit to smaller urban areas, 250,000 to 750,000+/- in population. The idea is a program of less costly new lines for smaller cities. Key features of this program are diesel powered rail transit vehicles and operations on shortlines. Self propelled diesel powered vehicles with no overhead electrical power are less costly than electrical powered LRVs. Shortline RR collaboration is also key to cost savings. Shortline railroads or Class 2 branch lines are an opportunity for public-private partnership to upgrade the right of way. In every case rail transit service has been established on a shortline, the railroad has come out (way) ahead, the rail transit start up has saved millions. Examples are Tri-Met's Washington Co. line on the Portland and Western shortline or Salt Lake City's light rail with Utah Railway. Austin will soon follow on its own city shortline. Smaller cities with shortlines that could benefit from lower cost rail transit are Billings, Birmingham, Boise, Little Rock, Madison, Salem.
George Harris Member # 2077
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Lewis, you did not mention Nashville, Tennessee, which is early next year to start commuter service with three morning and three afternoon trains on the Nashville and Eastern (former Tennessee Central line to the east). Two trains from/to Lebanon TN - 32 miles, and the third a shorter distance. Currently you can find information on the upgrading under way at the Nashville transit web site, www.rta-ride.org, click on services, then click on commuter rail. The service will be called the Music City Star, and they are going to shortly have a web site of their own.
George
Lewis Ames Member # 3902
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George, thanks for the reply. My wife and I had dinner with the Music City Star Rail Director and his wife in LA at the April Commuter Rail Conference. I see Nashville as comparable to Albaquerque-Santa Fe, break throughs of rail transit acceptance. Just a note on one variation from my investigations, Nashville, like Albquerque-Santa Fe equipment will all be locomotive pulled consists fully FRA compliant. But, yes, Nashville's use of a public investment in a local railroad ROW- and then lease the access/infrastructure to a local railroad is very imporant model for a new generation of rail transit development in the U.S. among smaller cities. There are about twenty cities under a million that have not been “eligible” for larger LRT new projects due to costs, to achieve shared track rail transit service at an appropriate scale. I like the use of the DMUs as opposed to loco hauled because for the addition of short addition of track in city streets, the DMU can go from commuter service to continuing deeper into the city center. Lewis
George Harris Member # 2077
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Lewis:
Though I have a personal interest in Nashville, being originally a Tennesean with lots of family connections throughout the state and graduating from Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, I have also been following the Albuquerque system. Both are putting trains on relatively lightly trafficed railroad lines, but the similarities in railroad lines being used end there. The tracks into Albuquerque are well maintained mostly currently hosting Amtrak with little if anything needed done to permit reliable and relatively fast passenger service. The track Nashville to Lebanon TN is a 25 mph freight line with lots of 80 lb and 90 lb rail and marginal tie conditions. Major track rehab is being done there, including about 3 miles of line changes, rework on most of the bridges, replacement of all the under 100 lb/yd rail with 136 RE, and addition of signals.
George
Lewis Ames Member # 3902
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George: 1. Railforum Subject line revision. I'm new to RFr and wonder how to revise the subject when posting a reply like this to be other than repeating "Shortlines Class??" that kicked off a brief discussion of that question months ago? It might help to signal other shortline folks our discussions are about something other than RR class (ifications). 2. Nashville Double Tracking? Good outline of the Nsv track upgrade specs to increase speed and safety for commuter rail service. The investment to a minimum of FRA Class 3 from what may have been 1 frames my thesis: the next generation of rail transit/passenger service will come from the sharing of infrastructure (track) in second tier city regions that merge the capital costs to move goods and people to achieve direct benefits of movement and indirect benefits of reducing auto based environmental destruction. Nashville's public transit agency control and management of the merger to achieve regional benefits follows the model of Utah, San Diego, Econdido and Austin. Do you know the length of new double track segments being added? 2. Question New Mexico: I read in Passenger Transport that the first X? miles north of Albuquerque host the Southwest Chief; but the last 25% of track miles to San Fe: isn't that in a long term lease from Santa Fe or UP? (now without Amtrak service in that last leg to Santa Fe). Appreciate any details you know about who owns or controls Santa Fe portion of track and the dispatching control - is it handed off from the Class 1 to the transit agency when trains lv the mainline? Lewis
George Harris Member # 2077
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Lewis: to answer your post:
1. Can't help you there.
2. Nashville double tracking: None on the current first line - Nashville to Lebanon. There is one siding being added. Even though the current operating concept is 60 mph, I believe that they are trying to get at least a Class 4 condition. Unless you are planning on coming back almost immediately, you should always achieve at least one class above that required for you planned speeds. There is no schedule that I know of for the next line to be developed. I think it will depend upon how this first line does. They did pick off the easy one first. My understanding is that the state of Tennessee actually owns the track and that the Nashville and Eastern is the operator by lease or some other form of agreement with the state. Othere lines, even though having much better track conditions and higher speeds will probably be more expensive to add commuter service due to the need for more additional trackage, in the case of the CSX line to Myrfreesboro likely to be full double track. Neitehr the Lebanon line nor the others being planned are intended to substitute for an urban light rail or hevay rail metro system, so you can not call it a transit system in that sense. It is a true commuter system with stops spaced at relatively long (5 mile plus) intervals. The Baltomore light rail actually is an example of transit usage of a railroad. They operate on the former Pennsy Northern Central line north of downtown and the Baltimore and Annapolis (former Interurban) south of downtown, with street running in between. Although initially electrified for the light rail, it was 50% or better single track initially. It also suffered fairly low ridership initially becuase by choosing to use the railroad rights of way, they were not located in the high population / traffic corridor.
3. Albuquerque: The current line being developed is all on BNSF trackage. The service into Santa Fe is more in the pipe dream category. Even though it is the state capital, Santa Fe is quite small in population. The former ATSF branch into Santa Fe was sold off a number of years to a short line operator. It meets the main line at Lamy. You can go to various sources of maps and railroad information to find out the distances involved. I believe that Lamy is a stop on the Southwest Chief. For obvious reasons, each railroad controls train movements on their own tracks. This does not mean, however that you have to run up to the interchange point and then stop and call them. Since this is a common situation in many locations, there are a number of procedures that have been worked out over the years to deal with through trains that run over more than one railroad.
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