STATE OF RAIL
IN TEXAS
Erik Steavens
Rail Division Director, TxDOT
State of Rail in Texas
TxDOT’s Rail Division mission
Mission of the Rail Division
“To facilitate the continuing
development, improvement, and
maintenance of a best in class rail
system for the state of Texas.”
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RRD Structure
 13 FTE positions allocated to RRD
– $1,125,528 salaries & overheads budget fy 15
– $38,954,547 project budget – varies annually by federal grant amounts & Legislative
appropriations
 Rail Administration – 4 FTEs
 Rail Programs Section – 5 FTEs
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–
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Project management/oversight for state & fed funded rail programs & projects
Management of lease/operating agreements on state owned/funded facilities
Analysis & needs assessments of existing infrastructure
Technical expertise for DDO’s, local governments
 Rail Planning Section – 4 FTEs
– Freight & passenger rail system wide planning
– Coordination of planning efforts with Federal, State, Local, Private entities
– Analysis of federal & state legislation & impacts on rail system
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Texas Rail Trivia
 10,469 miles of track in Texas, 1st in nation
 9,728 public, 4,801 private at-grade highway-rail crossings; 2,378
grade separated; most crossings in nation
 92.9 million tons of rail freight originated in Texas annually, 1.9 million
carloads (2012 most recent data); 3rd in nation
 206.6 million tons of rail freight terminated in Texas annually, 3.1
million carloads (2012 same data); 1st in nation
 2040 projected rail freight at 764 million tons, exceeds system
capacity
 Rail Division (RRD) formed in 2009 per a Sunset Advisory Commission
recommendation
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Challenges
 Funding Constraints
 Strong Property Rights State
 Conservative Culture
 Energy Sector Growth
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Rail Project Funding
Federal Funding
 No dedicated rail funding source
 Limited competitive grant opportunities (TIGER, HSIPR)
 Railroad Relocation & Improvement Funds – FRA loan program
State Funding
 Most TxDOT revenues constitutionally dedicated to highways
 Texas RRIF established in 2005 but remains unfunded
 Some specific legislative appropriations, minor vs needs
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Tower 55 Project - Complete
 $101 million = $33M Federal, $1M state administered by TxDOT, balance
BNSF & UPRR
– New track construction, rehabilitation, bridge work, roadway construction,
roadway underpass improvements, bicycle-pedestrian improvements
 Construction completed Sept. 30, 2014; dedication ceremony Nov. 7, 2014
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Houston Belt Junction Project
 Single track bottleneck with 100
grade crossings in area
 Project double tracks thru
junction & new turnout
connecting 4th quadrant
 $6.87 million project, 50%
railroads, 50% CMAQ
 Improves train fluidity
 Reduces train delays
 Reduces blocked crossing times
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South Orient Rail Line
 391 mile facility owned by State
 Leased to Texas Pacifico Transportation
 $26 million rehabilitation east end, 2009 – 2012
 Increased carloads from 2,031 average to 25,360 in 2014 (+1,148%)
 Additional $5M rehabilitation currently in construction, San Angelo – west
 Seeking additional state & federal funds for rehab to border at Presidio
 1 of 8 international rail bridges between U.S. & Mexico
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Northeast Texas RRTD Line - NETEX
 66.5 mile state owned facility
 Operated by Blacklands Railroad
 Good rail, poor ties & bridges
 $57 million rehabilitation needs
 Goal is 25 mph speeds
 Seeking state/fed funds
 Alternative funding mechanisms
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Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer
 Fort Worth to Oklahoma City
 Once daily service in each direction
 Subsidized by TxDOT & ODOT
 Ridership trending downward past 3 years
 Revenues trending downward past 3 years
 Schedule not conducive for commuter service
 Questionable long-term future
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Neches Rail Bridge
 Sunset Route from LA to New
Orleans
 Single track, 20 mph lift bridge
at Beaumont
 Double track in each direction
one mile from bridge
 Significant capacity constraint
for freight & Amtrak
 PE/NEPA project currently
underway
 Identify & clear 2nd crossing
location
 Facilitate funding &
construction
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Lone Star Regional Rail Project
 Project to develop commuter rail from Austin to San Antonio
 Lone Star Rail District has contracted for PE/NEPA work
 RRD provides fiscal oversight of state/fed funding
 Scoping meetings completed in June 2015
 Goal to use existing UP tracks for commuter rail service
 Looking at alternatives to relocate UP from existing alignment
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Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study
 IH-35 is congested and will
continue to get more
congested as Texas grows.
 Higher-speed passenger
rail service could fit the
needs of many travelers
and reduce demand on the
state’s roadways.
 Tier One, program-level
NEPA study will provide a
blueprint for feasible rail
improvements.
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Potential Investor Driven High-Performance Rail Corridors
State of Rail in Texas
Looking Ahead
Projects under development
 TRE Valley View double track – diverts Amtrak from T-55
 Laredo sealed corridor
 Improvements to State Owned Rail facilities
 High Performance Rail – Work with public and private sector interests to
facilitate the implementation of investor driven corridors
 Freight Rail – Proactively manage state-owned facilities, facilitate the
development of a strategic rail network, and coordinate the interaction of rail
with other modes.
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Questions?
Erik.Steavens@txdot.gov
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