West Shore Corridor Stakeholders
December 19, 2007
Rocky River Public Library

ATTENDEES - At the Dec. 19, 2007 meeting, there were 62 attendees

SUMMARY – The meeting began shortly after 9:15 a.m.

Jim Klaiber of freight railroad Norfolk Southern Corp. presented his company’s views toward passenger trains running on its tracks. A question-and-answer session followed.

A group discussion was held regarding the West Shore Corridor Stakeholders’ task-oriented priorities for 2008. Foremost priorities are to seek additional, long-term funding for existing and expanded transit services from local, state and federal sources.

All Aboard Ohio representatives noted a fundraising challenged posed by the Stocker Foundation of Lorain to support All Aboard Ohio’s public education activities. See the brochure available here (333k download)

Please submit any corrections or additions to the detailed summary below to kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org

DETAIL:

Jim Klaiber, Manager of Corporate Affairs at Norfolk Southern Corp. in Philadelphia, outlined his company’s guiding principals for those proposing to use NS’s rights of way for passenger train services, such as commuter rail on the West Shore Corridor west from downtown Cleveland in Cuyahoga, Lorain and Erie counties. Foremost, he encouraged interested parties to look at NS tracks as part of a manufacturing and distribution assembly line and that this assembly line cannot be negatively affected by the introduction of passenger trains.

Here are NS’s five basic guiding principles:

• Until meaningful funding is secured for some or all of a passenger rail project, NS can’t work with every community or region desiring to run passenger trains on its tracks.
• Look at NS railway infrastructure and whatever new passenger rail service is introduced, investments must be made by parties others than NS to protect its right of way and NS business. Later, Klaiber noted that NS ranks its railroad corridors in four categories based on the amount of freight business each handles. The most important is a Super Core corridor, then Core, followed by Strategic and Tactical. Klaiber said the NS rail line between Cleveland and Vermilion via Lorain and eyed for a West Shore Corridor commuter rail service is probably a Strategic or Tactical corridor to NS freight business. By contrast, the NS line through Cleveland, Berea, Elyria and Vermilion is a Super Core corridor and likely would require major capacity enhancements before any passenger service could be accommodated by NS.
• Passenger and freight operations need “transparency” in their operations. The best passenger operation is one that blends seamlessly with NS freight operations. NS defines transparency as “the provision of sufficient infrastructure for passenger trains and freight trains to operate without delay to either, and to allow for the growth of both.”
• NS expects fair compensation for the use of its rights of way by others. “If someone wanted to use your business facilities, you would expect the same thing,” he said.
• NS also expects to be protected from liability caused by the addition of passenger trains to its tracks. NS requires a passenger rail operator using its tracks to have liability insurance coverage of $500 million. “We have risks in running freight trains,” Klaiber said. “Adding passenger trains increases our risks.”

A question and answer session followed.

Questioner asked for a good model of a positive NS-commuter rail relationship. Klaiber referred to Virginia Railway Express, which operates two commuter rail routes to/from Washington D.C. One is the Manassas Line (on NS) and the other is the Fredericksburg line (on CSX).

Questioner asked how NS treats various types of passenger train services. Klaiber responded that different types of service have different considerations. High-speed passenger trains (80+ mph) and light-rail transit are generally not compatible with freight train operations. High speed trains’ incompatibility is due to the speed differential with 30-50 mph freight trains. Light-rail transit’s incompatibility is due to LRT vehicles being unable to meet Federal Railroad Administration crash-impact standards with much larger and heavier freight trains. He said conventional-speed passenger trains (up to 79 mph) and commuter trains generally are compatible with freight train traffic.

Questioner asked about NS’s view on the agreement limiting freight train traffic on the West Shore Corridor line and how it impacts any commuter rail proposal. Klaiber said he was aware of the agreement but wasn’t familiar with it. He said NS normally doesn’t agree to limit rail traffic levels.

Questioner asked about NS’s view on Quiet Zones (sections of railroad identified by federal regulators as having additional safety measures at road crossings so locomotives horns don’t need to be used at those crossings). Klaiber said NS sticks to the letter of the federal regulations. Participant noted that while commuter trains are much shorter than freight trains, and cause less vibration and wheel noise than freights, commuter train horns are the same volume as those on freight trains. Adding Quiet Zones will significantly improve nuisance and safety issues from the addition of commuter trains.

Ken Prendergast, Director of Research and Communications for All Aboard Ohio, addressed the meeting next to set task-oriented priorities for the West Shore Corridor Stakeholders in 2008.

After much public input and discussion, the following priorities were identified:

• Advocate for expanded funding for transit from local, state and federal sources. Existing transit services are being reduced due to increased fuel costs, flat local revenues (sales taxes etc.), and reduced state funding (from $40 million in 2001 to $16 million in 2007). Federal capital funding for expanded transit also is limited. Expansion is a difficult sell when existing transit is facing hardship.
• Secure state, other funding for feasibility study update of West Shore Corridor. Officials in Lorain County, which is the West Shore Corridor project sponsor, will make the request. Cost estimated at more than $300,000;
• Secure non-federal share of alternatives analysis funding. Rep. Betty Sutton got $350,000 U.S. House of Representatives appropriation for alternatives analysis. At least $70,000 in non-federal share is needed;
• Continue full stakeholder meetings, committee meetings on a regular schedule;
• Meet $12,500 challenge grant from Stocker Foundation for public engagement activities. Stocker will match donations dollar-for-dollar until Nov. 1, 2008.
• Create committee that, in the short term, organizes trips to other cities to view their commuter rail operations and learn from their experiences in starting these services. In the long term, the committee would explore and pursue a “preview” commuter rail service for the West Shore Corridor, possibly in conjunction with a sporting event or some other special event with Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad as a potential partner.
• Coordinate with transportation and land-use planning activities of local, regional and state agencies, organizations, etc.
• Meeting was concluded at roughly 10:30 a.m.