1

Northeast Corridor - Overview

Regional Plan AssociationSpring 2010

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Rail: A Vital Economic Stimulant

Northeast Megaregion has a $2.4 Trillion Economy, 20% of the Nation’s GDP

Central business districts, and research and development clusters

around universities, are the engines of the economy in the Northeast

Future economic growth depends on

the ability to move goods and people quickly and reliably between the region’s urban centers.

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Congestion ReliefAirports are nearing capacity, made worse by the growth in short haul air travel within the megaregion. Over 20 percent of all flights out of the three New York City Area airports are less than 350 miles

Three Quarters of nation wide delays in theaviation systems originate in the New Yorkmetro region Rail/Air Market Share

37% 63% 51% 49%NY - DC NY - BOS

 EW

R JFK LGA Total

Baltimore 4 5 6 14

Boston 11 25 35 71

Philadelphia 0 3 11 14

Providence 5 2 3 9

Richmond 5 7 11 22

Washington 17 24 38 79

Total 42 65 103 210

Average Daily Departures (2008)

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Linked Economies

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1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969 1976

Deadline

1981 1982 1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

6

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:00

1976

Deadline

1981 1982 1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

TurboTrain

7

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

Deadline

1981 1982 1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

AmtrakTurboTrain

8

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981 1982

1981

1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIPTurboTrain

9

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981

3:40

2:40

1985

1982

1981

1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIPTurboTrain

10

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981

3:40

2:40

1985

1982

3:00

4:24

1981

1986 1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIPTurboTrain

11

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981

3:40

2:40

1985

1982

3:00

4:24

1981

1986

2:36

3:57

1991 2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIPTurboTrain

12

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981

3:40

2:40

1985

1982

3:00

4:24

1981

1986

2:36

3:57

1991

3:00

4:30

2010

2hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIP NEHRIP

1999

TurboTrain

13

1971

Brief History of NEC

NY-DC GoalNY-DC ActualNY-BOS Goal

1965

NY-BOS Actual

4:00

1969

3:002:45

2:00

1976

3:40

2:40

Deadline

1981

3:40

2:40

1985

1982

3:00

4:24

1981

1986

2:36

3:57

1991

3:00

4:30

2010

3:00

3:30

2:50

2:152hrs

3hrs

4hrs

5hrs

Event

HSGTA

MetroLiner

Amtrak NECIP NERIP

1999

TurboTrain

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Federal Investment in NEC

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04Fiscal Year

Mill

ion

s o

f 20

04

do

llars

Boston - New Haven Electrification Basic Investment

NECIP*

NHRIP**

*NECIP – Northeast Corridor Improvement Program

**NHRIP – Northeast Corridor High Speed Rail Improvement Program

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Current Rail Times and Speed

City Miles Time

Average Speed (MPH)

Baltimore 185 2:10 86

Boston 231 3:30 67

Philadelphia 91 1:10 81

Providence 188 2:50 66

Washington 225 2.50 81

Richmond 334 6:00 56

From New York – Penn Station

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Ownership of NEC

Route Miles

Amtrak (363 of 457 main line, Springfield, Harrisburg, portion of Albany line)

548

Massachusetts (main line) 37

Connecticut (main line) 47

MTA (main line, 10; Hudson [Albany] line, 63)

73

CSX (Albany line, 68; Washington-Richmond, 108)

176

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Commuter Operations on NEC

Amtrak predicts ridership on the NEC to double by 2030 for 13M to 26M

Over that same time period total volume on the corridor is expected to increase from 250M to 400M

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Train Movements by Segment

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Source: The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan, October 2009

Capacity Constraints on the NEC

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Source: The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan, October 2009

Capacity Constraints on the NEC

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What Needs to be Done - SOGR

State of Good Repair Backlog ~ $8B

More than 200 bridges most dating to the turn of the last century

Baltimore’s B&P Tunnels dating to post-Civil War period

Many interlockings (junctions and crossovers) which have not undergone a major renewal in decades and are now functionally obsolete

Electric traction systems straining to cope with increased traffic levels while relying on 1930’s-era components

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What Needs to be Done -Growth

Source: The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan, October 2009

Project Type Cost (M of $’S)

Infrastructure 36,693 Tunnels 11,142

Moveable Bridges 8,034

Fixed Bridges 1,818

Track 10,727

Major Terminals 2,625

Propulsion 618

Signals and Catenary 1,729

Stations 2,567 Facilities 1,003 Total $40,263

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What Needs to be Done - Growth

NEC Infrastructure Capital Needs, 2010-2030 ($ Millions)

Source: The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan, October 2009

Cost Category Total (M$’s)

Growth 32,319SGR Backlog 7,944 Amtrak owned 4,744 Connecticut owned 3,200Subtotal 40,263

Normalized Replacement Amtrak owned 7,211 Connecticut owned 1,000 New York owned 924 CSXT owned N/ASubtotal 9,135

Total $49,398

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Trip Times with Improvements

City MilesCurrent

TimeAvg Speed

(MPH)

Time w/ Improveme

nts

Avg Speed

(MPH)

Baltimore 185 2:10 86 1:50 101

Boston 231 3:30 67 3:00 77

Philadelphia 91 1:10 81 0:54 100

Providence 188 2:50 66 2:30 75

Washington 225 2.50 81 2:15 100

Richmond 334 6:00 56 4:15 76

From New York – Penn Station

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www.America2050.org

www.rpa.org