Washington State Short Line Rail Inventory And Needs Assessment

The recently completed State Rail Plan for the state of Washington identified several key issues facing the state’s rail system. Among these key issues are abandonment, port access and competitive needs of the ports and local production regions, as well as intermodal connectivity. Nearly 2000 miles of rail line had been abandoned in Washington State before the late 1990s, and another 70 have been abandoned since. Many of these miles included were a result of the Class I railroads stepping away from their less profitable lines. These same actions by the Class I railroads also generated opportunity for the creation of many of the state’s short-line railroads on branch and light density lines. The rail system grew smaller during the 1980s and 1990s, and many of the state short lines were not upgraded to meet the standards and conditions required for modern freight rail load limits (286,000 pounds per car). Further investment is needed should the state or owner seek new or improved operations. This study found that more than 55 percent (740 miles) of all short line miles within Washington are not able to efficiently handle 286,000 pound rail cars. Overcoming this deficiency and bringing the state’s short line system to Class II operating status could require infrastructure investments of approximately $610 million. This need exceeds the current funding support offered by the state, even if considered over a 20 year horizon with private industry and/or local jurisdictions providing significant match. Three short line case studies in this report help identify the societal benefits associated with a functioning short line system within the state’s dynamic transportation network. These case studies, along with information about the attributes that contribute to the success or failure of investments in load centers, illustrate the benefits of state investment in the short line railroad system.

• Record URL:
  http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/842.1.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/29053
• Corporate Authors:

  Washington State University, Pullman

  Freight Policy Transportation Institute
  PO Box 646210
  Pullman, WA  United States  99164-6210

  Washington State Department of Transportation

  Transportation Building
  Olympia, WA  United States  98504
• Authors:
  • Sage, Jeremy
  • Casavant, Ken
  • Eustice, J Bradley
• Publication Date: 2015-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Research Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 95p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Financing; Freight transportation; Infrastructure; Needs assessment; Railroad tracks; Short line railroads; Transportation planning
• Geographic Terms: Washington (State)
• Subject Areas: Economics; Freight Transportation; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01570367
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: WA-RD 842.1
• Contract Numbers: Agreement T1462, Task 04
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 21 2015 9:38AM