MATC Fall 2012 Lecture Series

1. IDOT/UP High Speed Rail Project
Chicago – St. Louis
UP/MATC Lecture Series
Lincoln, NE
Nov. 9, 2012
David Connell, VP Operations, Northern Region, Union Pacific Railroad
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2. Talking Points
• U.S. Passenger train history
• High speed rail/stimulus
• Illinois high speed rail project
• Project design
• Construction status/schedule
• Startup
2

3. When People Traveled by Train
• 1940 - 67.1% passengers by rail
• WWII - 97% troops via rail.
• 1944 vs. 2011 – 80% < passenger
miles
• 1944 vs. 2011 - 95% < intercity
passengers
• 1944 vs. 2011 – 93% < passenger
revenue.
• Causes of U. S. passenger rail
demise:
– Eisenhower interstate system
– U. S. love affair with the automobile
– Railroads lose U. S. Mail contract
3

4. Creation of Amtrak
• Throughout the 1960s, Railroads wanted
out of the money losing passenger
business
• Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970
created Amtrak.
– Freight railroads donated passenger
equipment to Amtrak and capital.
• Freight railroads are required to:
– Grant Amtrak access to their track.
– Give priority status to Amtrak trains
over own freight trains.
• Amtrak major intercity passenger carrier.
– 22,000 miles Amtrak operates owned
by freight railroads.
– 750 miles owned by Amtrak (Boston
to Washington, D.C.)
4

5. Passenger Service on Union Pacific Today
Seattle
Portland
Duluth
Twin Cities
Chicago
53,000 Salt Lake City North
Weekly Platte 547,000
Riders Weekly
KC Riders
Bay Area Denver
St. Louis
Memphis
LA
47,000 Ft. Worth
Weekly
Riders New
El Paso Austin Weekly Weekly On-Time
Orleans
Riders Trains %
Amtrak on UP
San Antonio Houston UP Commuter
Commuter Services 647,000 1,450 94%
(incl Capitol Corridor)
Amtrak on UP 89,000 328 85%
Total UP 736,000 1,778 92%
5

6. International High Speed Passenger Service
• Max commercial train speed
– 150 mph United States
– 185 - 200 mph for the majority of
installed systems in Asia and Europe
• Current speed record for a
conventional commercial train TGV
POS trainset 357.2 mph.
• Dedicated controlled access ROW
Amtrak 79 MPH
Amtrak Acela 150 MPH Germany ICE 3 199 MPH
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7. High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program
• $8 Billion funding from American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
• Partnership with states, FRA, Amtrak
and some freight railroads
• Investment focused on three key
objectives:
– Build new high-speed rail corridors;
– Improve reliability, speed, and
frequency of existing services; and
– Lay the groundwork for future high-
As of 03/15/2011
speed rail services.
Source: FRA
HSIPR Program created to address
nation’s transportation challenges
by making strategic investments in
an efficient network of passenger
rail corridors that connect
communities across the country.
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8. Illinois HSR Project (Purpose & Benefits)
• IDOT approached UP in mid-2009 asking for
UP cooperation
• Purpose of project
– Enhance the passenger transportation
network within the Chicago to St. Louis
corridor.
• Benefits
– Job Creation (1,240+ jobs).
– Passenger trains > to 110 mph.
• Freight trains remain @ 60 mph.
• Increase ridership 70%.
– Substantial travel time and reliability
improvements, 45-50 minute reduction per
train.
– Decreased highway congestion.
– Improved road crossings.
– New rolling stock.
• Illinois HSR Project awarded $1.5 B
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9. Status Illinois HSR Passenger Service
• Current train status
– 4 Corridor State supported train pairs –
79 MPH
– 1 Amtrak (Texas to Chicago) 79 MPH
• Projected status
– 3 Corridor State supported train pairs –
110 MPH
– 1 Corridor State supported train pairs –
79 MPH
– 1 Amtrak (Texas to Chicago) 79 MPH
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10. Illinois High Speed Rail Project Chicago
Funded Project Summary Bloomington
MP 126.4
Project Elements - $847 million of investment on UP
• 266 miles main track rehab. NS CP Canal
CP Justice
• Rebuild 15 sidings & construct 1 siding. MP 36.7
• Construct 36 miles of 2nd main Joliet Intermodal
Facility Metra
• Rehab/replace ~ 200 bridge structures & culverts. CN
• Install new signal system with PTC.
I&M
Elwood
NS
NS Wilmington
Progress to date - 2010 thru 2012 Hazel Dell
Braidwood
• ~217 track miles of new rail installed. BNSF
• 50 new turnouts. Dwight
Nelson
Rochelle Chicago
• 27 bridge structures. NS
• 235 new road crossings. BNSF Odell
BNSF
Galesburg
Woodland Jct.
• $217 million invested thru 2012. Peoria Joliet
Sub
KCS Pontiac Bloomington
TPW Springfield
Main Track rehabilitation to 110 MPH
Chenoa Sub Springfield
Findlay Jct.
Completed in 2010 Ballard
Completed in 2011
Salem
Completed in 2012 St. Louis
E. St. Louis
To Complete in 2013 ? NS
KCS Mt. Vernon
Normal
De Soto
Control Benton Jct.
New 2nd Main Track and siding Chester
Gorham/Chap
construction 2013 - 15
Signal system upgrade and bridge rehab St. Louis Bloomington
MP 126.4
across the corridor 2013 - 14
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11. Project Track Design
• Track geometry
• 215 miles tangent track
• 29 miles curved track
• Maximum curve speed
• Degree of Curve
• Superelevation - To counteract the
centrifugal force, the outer rail is
elevated over the lower rail
• Imbalance range 0” to 5”
underbalanced elevation
• Most Amtrak equipment
qualified to operate up to 5”
imbalance
• Curve design criteria
• Max. freight speed = 60 MPH
• Calculated @ equilibrium
• Passenger speed = 110 MPH
• Calculated @ 4” Unbalance
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12. Illinois HSR Track Components
• Track components
– Concrete ties
– Elastic fasteners
– Premium 136 lb. rail
– Glued insulated joints
– Concrete pads for crossings
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13. Illinois HSR Turnouts
• Concrete turnouts
• #24 concrete
• Tangential design
• 50 MPH diverging
• Sidings/Jcts
• #14 concrete for industry
• In-tie switch rodding
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14. Illinois HSR – Construction
• U. P. responsible for track/signal/bridge
delivery
– Six weeks from 2010 agreement to
construction commencement
• IDOT will contract stations,
equipment, etc
• The first stimulus related HSR Project to
go to construction
• 2010 upgraded 76.5 miles main track
• 2011 upgraded 114.4 miles main track
• 2012 upgraded 48 miles main track
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15. Illinois HSR - Track Renewal Train (TRT 909)
• Track Renewal Train (TRT) converts wood tie
track to concrete at a rate of 2 miles/day
– Installed rail over 237 miles of new track
– Installed 617,953 new concrete ties
– 1.2 Million tons of ballast placed
– Renewed 234 crossings
– Installed 27 switches
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16. Illinois HSR – Chicago to St. Louis
Before & After TRT – Tangent Track MP 194.00
UP takes on maintenance
responsibility for Class 6
track and enhanced
signaling without
realizing substantial
operating benefit
Class 4 60 MPH
Class 6 110 MPH
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17. Signal Infrastructure Improvements
• Overlay existing signal system with
Positive Train Control (cab signal
temporarily)
• Install necessary grade crossing
warning devices at all road crossings.
– 204 Public
– 25 Field to field
Farm Field to Farm Field – 14 Private
• Gates on all private/field crossings
• 4 quad gates on all public crossings
• Presence loop detectors
4 Quad Gates
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18. Operation Cab Signals & ITCS on Hi-Speed Line
Speed Limit
(MPH) 20 seconds-
80 secs-
2.4miles 1/4 mile
110
79
Conventional Crossing
Warning System Approach
Amtrak Locomotive Equipped Circuit Limit configured for
with UP Cab Signals and ITCS 79mph approach
15
0
Locomotive sends request (via radio) to crossing to “arm” for high-speed operation and 80sec
warning time, allowing operation at speeds grater than allowed by conventional approach
circuit
If all crossing subsystems are “healthy”, crossing arms and sends acknowledgement to
locomotive which allows high-speed operation ( )
If all crossing subsystems are not “healthy”, crossing sends indication which causes locomotive
to restrict speed of train ( )
Highway Crossing Warning System
If crossing subsystems become unhealthy or a vehicle is detected in the crossing after equipped with:
activation, crossing sends indication which causes locomotive to restrict speed of train ( ) •Four-Quadrant Gates
•Exit Gate Management System
•Highway Vehicle Occupancy
If locomotive never receives acknowledgement from crossing, locomotive restricts speed of Detection
train to speed limit allowed by conventional approach circuit ( ) •ITCS Communications Equipment
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19. Positive Train Control (PTC)
The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008
specifically requires that each PTC system be
designed to do the following:
• Prevent train-to-train collisions
• Prevent over speed derailments
• Prevent incursion into work zones
• Prevent movement of trains thru a
switch.
PTC Challenges
Communications Spectrum
• Ensuring throughput for safe and
efficient movement of trains
Interoperability
• Communications
• System Behavior and Response
• On Board Display
Predictive Enforcement Complexity
• Ensure safe braking calculations
Note: FRA mandated $1.5 billion financial requirement. PTC must be fully implemented nation wide
by Dec 31, 2015.
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20. First Hi-Speed Segment
• Dwight to Pontiac, Illinois
• MP 75 to MP 90.4
• Speeds of up to 110mph
• Cab signal installation
• ITCS at crossings (passenger)
• Crossings have quad gates including
loop detection
• Siding rebuild
• Associated fencing
• Safety and infrastructure improvements
• Drainage
• Work completed with a VIP inaugural run
October 19
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21. Start UP Signal System Components
Start-up Service • 14 Grade Crossings
• Right of way fencing
• Cab signals
• Extensive coordination
– IDOT
– Local municipalities
– ICC
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22. Illinois HSR – Chicago to St. Louis
Start-up Service
• Rehab track for FRA Class 6
• Re-construct Odell Siding
• Re-construct 2.7 miles
• 50 mph
• 20 Ft. track centers
• No. 24 turnouts
• Bridges & culverts
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23. Illinois High Speed Rail Project Chicago
Construction Plan – 2013-2016 Bloomington
Tier 4 – 2014/15 MP 126.4
NS CP Canal
Note: Construction Projects broken Tier 3 – 2014/15 CP Justice
done into tiers to allow for NEPA • 8 Miles 2nd ML Elkhart MP 36.7
approval process to be completed in • Athol Siding Joliet Intermodal
phases for Construction to Start • Ridgley Siding Facility Metra
• Auburn Siding CN
I&M
Elwood
Springfield Tier 6 – 2016
NS
NS Wilmington • 5 Miles 2nd ML Joliet
• Braidwood Siding
Hazel Dell • Dwight Siding
Braidwood
Tier 2 – 2013
• 8 Miles 2nd ML Girard BNSF
• Carlinville Siding Dwight
Nelson
Rochelle Chicago
NS
Tier 1S – 2015 BNSF
Galesburg
BNSF Odell Woodland Jct.
• 16 Miles 2nd ML Shipman Peoria Joliet
to Godfrey Tier 1N – 2012 Sub
KCS Pontiac • Odell Siding Bloomington
• Pontiac Siding
TPW Springfield
Tier 5 – 2015 Chenoa Sub Springfield
Findlay Jct.
• Signal System Godfrey Ballard
to Q Tower
Salem
Tier 4 – 2014/15 St. Louis
E. St. Louis
NS
KCS • Ballard Siding
Mt. Vernon
Normal
De Soto
Control • Normal Siding Benton Jct.
Chester
St. Louis • McClean Siding Gorham/Chap
Bloomington
MP 126.4
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24. Background on Union Pacific Railroad
• Largest railroad in North America.
• Operates western 2/3rd of U. S.
• 150 year old company this year.
– Founded in 1862.
• Fortune 143 company with
revenues of $19.5 billion.
• Primary role is freight with
increasing passenger
participation
• 45,000 Employees
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25. U. P. Commodities Carloads
Energy 2.0 million Industrial .9 million Agricultural .8 million
Chemicals .9 million Intermodal 3.6 million Automotive .4 million
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26. Operating Infrastructure
• 32,006 mi route
• 112 Million ties
• 12,245 mi of yards, sidings, & industry
leads
• 31,434 Turnouts
• 18,031 Bridges (417 mi)
• 296 Tunnels (62.2 mi)
• 26,441 Active public crossings
• 6,793 Buildings
• 62 Auto or intermodal ramps
• 62 Car and loco shops
• 45 Major switching yards
• 12,500 Signal facilities
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27. Freight Rail Industry Vibrant and Growing
• 1916 – 254,521 route miles
Big freight trains shot
• 1940 vs. 2011 - 93% < miles
• 1940 vs. 2011 - 460% > ton miles
• 1944 vs. 2011 – 230% > aver. tons/car
• 2011 – 138,623 route miles
300,000 2,000
1,800
Ton Miles of Freight (billions)
250,000
1,600
1,400
200,000
Miles of Track
1,200
150,000 1,000
800
100,000
600
400
50,000
200
0 0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2011
Miles of Track Ton-Miles of Frieght
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28. Rail Related Engineering Degrees
• The railroad industry offers graduate
engineers a very rewarding environment to
work.
• Excellent opportunities for new graduate
engineers in the present and coming years.
• Engineering degrees favored for the U. P.
Engineering Associates in the Operating
Management Training program:
– Civil
– Construction Management
– Electrical
– Electronic
– Industrial
– Structural
– Mechanical
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29. Questions?
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