California State Rail Plan 2005-06 to 2015-16

2005-06 – 2015-16 California State Rail Plan
California Corridors Highlighted in State Corridor Initiatives
The Amtrak 2004 strategic plan also includes an Appendix called the State
Corridor Initiatives that focuses on state proposals supported by Amtrak for
specific passenger rail corridor development, and strategies to protect and upgrade
key facilities owned by freight railroads.
Amtrak surveyed all states and identified those corridors that complied with
Amtrak’s criteria indicating a readiness to receive Federal investment. The criteria
includes a long-term master plan, market revenue forecast, operating expense
forecast, infrastructure and equipment investment plans, host railroad acceptance,
agreement to fund a 20 percent capital match, and agreement to cover any added
operating deficit. Amtrak worked with states to clearly identify the corridors, the
congestion and capacity challenges and capital investment needs.
Only eight corridors nationwide achieved the “Tier I” level of ready-to-invest,
three of which are California State-supported corridors (Pacific Surfliner,
San Joaquin, and Capitol Corridor). The other corridors in the Tier I category
included those in Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina, and
Pennsylvania. Amtrak, in conjunction with the states, proposed a Pilot Program of
matched Federal funding for Tier I corridors. Should that come to fruition,
California would receive over $900 million.
One outgrowth of the Strategic Plan and the State Corridor Initiatives was a
recognition that many states, as well as Amtrak, desperately need rolling stock for
existing service and future expansions. States, such as California, are working to
grow the rail market and build the track infrastructure to expand service and
reduce trip times to meet the demand. Amtrak has joined with ten states to
develop a standardized specification for single-level and multi-level passenger
coaches, in the hopes of pooling funding from states and Amtrak to share expertise
and staff resources, create a national standardized pool of intercity rolling stock,
and to achieve efficiencies of scale inherent in larger procurements. California
(both the Department and CCJPA) is participating in this effort. The Department
is working with Amtrak to upgrade the design specifications of the
Surfliner/California Car should funding become available to purchase new rolling
stock.
Amtrak is currently working to update the State Corridor Initiatives. In the fall of
2005 the Department submitted updated Corridor Assessments for the
San Joaquins and Pacific Surfliners and the CCJPA submitted an updated
Assessment for the Capitol Corridor. The Assessments include five-year capital
plans for the corridors, and comprise the initial five-year period for the
Department’s ten-year Capital Program shown in Chapter II.
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