INTERCITY SERVICE REVIEW

Transcription

1 INTERCITY SERVICE REVIEW WV Statewide Rail Plan West Virginia Department of Transportation, State Rail Authority 03/12/13

2 Contents Historic Rail Passenger Service Background... 2 Amtrak Era - West Virginia Rail Passenger Service... 4 Current Amtrak Service... 8 Thruway Bus Service West Virginia Statewide Ridership Totals Annual Trends Route Metrics Financial Performance On-Time Performance Customer Service Indicator Stations ADA Compliance Station Characteristics List of Tables Table 1: Blue Ridge Ridership... 6 Table 2: Shenandoah Ridership... 6 Table 3: Route Segments of the Capitol Limited... 9 Table 4: Route Segments of the Cardinal Table 5: Ridership, Ticket Revenue and Costs by Route Table 6: Amtrak Riders in West Virginia FY 2010 Through Table 7: Causes of Delay to Amtrak Trains Serving West Virginia, June Table 8: Customer Service Indicator Scores 12 Months Table 9: West Virginia Station Locations List of Figures Figure 1: 1955 Main Passenger Routes... 3 Figure 2: Current Amtrak Routes... 8 Figure 3: Capitol Limited Route... 9 Figure 4: Cardinal Route March 12, 2013 TOC

3 Historic Rail Passenger Service Background Rail freight and passenger service in West Virginia were impacted by mountainous terrain, the state s key role in linking the Eastern Seaboard to the Midwest, and growth of the natural resource industries. The cost of traversing the north/south Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains limited the number of main routes across the state, while the demand for travel between the East Coast and Midwest hastened the early construction of rail lines. The natural resource industries generated traffic for new connecting rail lines and additional main lines to Tidewater Virginia. Bolstered by through traffic from eastern cities to the Midwest and supported by local branch line connecting trains and interurban lines, passenger trains were the dominant mode of intercity travel in West Virginia until after World War I. West Virginia, in common with the rest of the US, saw a dramatic decline in intercity rail travel during the 1920s and 1930s when highways were improved and auto travel became more affordable. However, the rail share remained important through the 1940s and into the early 1950s, and passenger trains served all major urban areas and most of the country s small towns. Main line local trains, interurban and branch line trains connected rural hamlets to market towns and major cities. Schedules of some local trains were timed for mine and mill shifts. In addition to transporting passengers, the trains carried mail and express. Railroad depots, usually located close to the center of each community, were activity hubs with city development radiating out from their central location. After World War II West Virginia focused on the development of modern first-class highways to address the region s isolation and to stimulate economic development. Construction began in the 1950s on the West Virginia Turnpike, followed in the 1960s by the Interstate Highway System and Appalachian Development Highway System. The Appalachian Development Highway System was designed to fill gaps in the Interstate Highway System and bring a modern highway network to all regions of the state. With the construction of the upgraded highway network and the introduction of high-capacity jet aircraft, both of which significantly reduced travel times and costs, passenger rail usage declined. Private railroads increasingly were unable to compete with publicly funded highway and airport transportation modes, and a cycle of passenger train discontinuance ensued as the rail industry sought to drop services that had become uneconomical. The main line local trains and branch line trains serving short-distance passengers saw the greatest traffic declines and were generally the first to be discontinued. With each train discontinuance connections were broken and travel options were reduced, further hastening a cycle of service reductions. In West Virginia, the level of long-distance passenger service provided in the mid-1950s reflects the period before the greatest cutbacks occurred. The main passenger routes in West Virginia in 1955 are illustrated in Figure 1. Three main routes dominated: the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) from Washington to Cumberland and from Cumberland to Parkersburg; the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) from Newport News, Richmond and Washington through Charleston and Huntington to Cincinnati; and the Norfolk and Western Railroad (N&W) from Norfolk through southern West Virginia to Cincinnati. Some of these routes had trains with through sleeping cars to major Southwest and West Coast cities. Primary routes and train frequencies in West Virginia included: Ten daily trains in northeast and central West Virginia through Martinsburg, linking New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC with the Midwest cities of Pittsburgh, March 12, 2013 Page 2

4 Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis. Four of these trains reentered West Virginia west of Cumberland, MD linking East Coast cities to Cincinnati and St. Louis serving Grafton, Clarksburg, Moundsville, Wheeling and Parkersburg (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad); Three daily trains in south central West Virginia linking Washington, DC with White Sulphur Springs, Charleston, Huntington and Cincinnati. Some of these trains had through sleeping cars to/from New York, Louisville, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland. All of these daily trains had sections connecting Tidewater Virginia and Richmond to West Virginia cities (Chesapeake and Ohio Railway); Three daily trains in southern West Virginia linking Norfolk with Bluefield, Williamson and Cincinnati with through sleeping cars from West Virginia cities to/from New York (Norfolk and Western Railway); One daily train linking Pittsburgh and Kenova, WV serving Wheeling, Parkesburg and Huntington and two additional daily trains between Parkersburg and Kenova (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad). In addition some local branch line trains were operated: Grafton Wheeling and Grafton Richwood (Baltimore and Ohio Railroad), Huntington Logan, Ronceverte Durbin and the Coal River Branch (Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad). Figure 1: 1955 Main Passenger Routes March 12, 2013 Page 3

5 The loss of mail contracts in 1967 resulted in the reduction of passenger service to only a handful of long-distance trains. During that period passenger service in West Virginia remained on all three main East West routes. In north central West Virginia there were two daily frequencies through Martinsburg. One train entered Pennsylvania after serving Cumberland, MD (Washington Chicago) while the other Washington St. Louis service, reentered West Virginia west of Cumberland, MD serving Grafton, Clarksburg and Parkersburg. During the same period, to offset the loss of service due to train discontinuances, the B&O extended its Baltimore/Washington commuter rail service into West Virginia. In south central West Virginia through Charleston there was once daily service, between Washington and Cincinnati with through cars to St. Louis and a section that served Newport News/Norfolk (Chessie System). Southern Virginia through Bluefield and Williamson was served by two daily rail frequencies between Norfolk and Cincinnati (Norfolk and Western Railway). As other modes of transportation replaced rail service, especially for local transportation, West Virginia stepped forward, coordinated and developed funding to create its network of tourism railroads. These short lines celebrated West Virginia s railroad heritage and the importance of the rail industry in developing the state. In 1970 the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) was created by the Congress due to the financial losses sustained by the freight railroads (especially the Penn Central Railroad) on their passenger operations. Amtrak is a congressionally chartered corporation owned by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and operates as a quasi-nonprofit corporation. A basic national network of passenger train routes was developed by the USDOT. Only one route in West Virginia was included, Washington Chicago via Charleston, WV and Cincinnati, with a section of the train serving Richmond and Newport News. As a result of the recommended route structure, rail service through north central West Virginia and southern West Virginia was discontinued on May 1, 1971 (Amtrak s start-up date). Amtrak Era - West Virginia Rail Passenger Service With the discontinuance of all rail passenger service across north central West Virginia, efforts began to have the service reinstated. These efforts were successful and are outlined below because of the magnitude of the efforts. Beginning in September of 1971 Amtrak began operating the West Virginian between Washington and Parkersburg, WV. As shown in the November 1971 Amtrak timetable, the train made intermediate stops at Silver Spring, Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, Cumberland, Keyser, Oakland, Grafton, and Clarksburg. Monday through Friday the westbound train departed Washington at 4:45 PM and arrived at Parkersburg at 1:59 AM. Monday through Friday the eastbound train departed Parkersburg at 3:30 AM and arrived in Washington at 12:45 PM. On Saturday, Sunday and Holidays the train operated on a schedule to allow passengers more convenient travel to/from West Virginia. Westbound the train departed Washington at 11:00 AM, and arrived at Parkersburg at 8:15 PM. Eastbound the train departed Parkersburg at 10:00 AM, and arrived in Washington at 7:15 PM. As outlined in the book Zephyrs, Chiefs & Other Orphans, the train was equipped with Heritage streamliner equipment that Amtrak had purchased from the freight railroads. The West Virginian operated with two cars: a 52-seat, ex-c&o coach and an ex-c&o diner/snack coach. In February 1972 Amtrak started a six-month test of the United Aircraft TurboTrain on the route, naming the train the Potomac Turbo. However, the steep grades, ride quality on trackage shared with heavy March 12, 2013 Page 4

6 coal trains and isolation from mechanical personnel familiar with non-traditional rail equipment resulted in a three-month early end to the test. Beginning in May Heritage equipment returned to the route and the train was renamed the Potomac Special. Ridership was marginal because the train s schedule put the route s western endpoint and a large number of intermediate cities at inconvenient times from the rider s perspective, and the train did not have the endpoint anchor of a large city (Cincinnati) with train connections. As a result, in late 1972 Amtrak advised the states of Maryland and West Virginia that the train would be discontinued unless the states began subsidizing the service. The states declined, and the train was discontinued. On May 7, 1973 Amtrak s Blue Ridge began operation between Washington and Cumberland, MD. The train made intermediate stops at Silver Spring, Gaithersburg (westbound only), Brunswick, Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, and Cumberland. While the West Virginian s westbound schedule was conducive to daily work trips, the eastbound schedule was not. The Blue Ridge s schedule was designed to help meet the needs of Berkeley and Jefferson Counties fast growing exurban population of super commuters traveling on a daily basis to Washington, DC and the suburbs in Montgomery County, MD. Exurb communities are located at the far outer fringes of the metropolitan area. Rural in character, they are favored by those with family ties to the area or who desire country homes with large acreages and a rural lifestyle. Additional growth occurred in the late 1980s and 1990s due to the dramatic increase in housing prices in the suburbs closer to cities. Families in search of lower-cost housing found the new exurban subdivisions affordable. The trade-off was long commutes. This was offset for some exurbanites by job growth in Montgomery County, MD which meant a shorter commute. As shown in the June 1973 Amtrak timetable, Monday through Friday eastbound, the Blue Ridge departed Cumberland at 5:30 AM, and arrived in Washington at 8:38 AM. Monday through Friday the westbound train departed Washington at 4:50 PM, arriving at Cumberland at 7:52 PM. On Saturday, Sunday and Holidays the train operated on a schedule to allow passengers more convenient travel to/from West Virginia (especially daytrips to Harpers Ferry). Westbound the train departed Washington at 11:00 AM, and arrived at Cumberland at 2:02 PM. Eastbound the train departed Cumberland at 4:25 PM, and arrived in Washington at 7:30 PM. The weekend schedule required deadhead trips between Washington and Cumberland to position the train for either weekend service (Saturday morning) or Monday through Friday service (Sunday evening). Eventually in January 1974 these repositioning trips were opened up to passengers. This allowed West Virginia residents the opportunity to take weekend trips to Washington and other Northeast Corridor cities. On Saturday morning the new frequency operated on its normal weekday schedule of the Monday Friday train arriving in Washington at 8:30 AM. On Sunday and holiday evenings the new frequency departed Washington at 9:30 PM, and arrived at Cumberland at 12:35 AM. On October 31, 1976, in conjunction with the inauguration of the Shenandoah, the Blue Ridge route was cut back to Martinsburg. The train operated in conjunction with a single B&O frequency to Martinsburg which was an extension of their Brunswick Line commuter service. The train began with Heritage equipment, one 72-seat coach and a coach snack/diner. A second coach was soon added, and in 1974 a third coach was added due to ridership growth. In December 1975 the Blue Ridge became the first train outside the Northeast Corridor to be equipped with the new Budd Amfleet cars. Three 84-seat Amcoaches and one 56-seat Amcafe became the standard consist. The change to Amfleet equipment also increased the capacity of the train, helping to accommodate the growth in the commuter traffic. March 12, 2013 Page 5

7 With a schedule attractive for daily commuting and the exurban growth in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties by families attracted by lower cost housing and an outdoor lifestyle, traffic on the Blue Ridge continued to grow throughout the 1970s. As was noted above, capacity had to be added to the train to accommodate this growth. Outlined below is yearly ridership and average ridership per train for the Blue Ridge. Table 1: Blue Ridge Ridership Calendar Riders Calendar Riders Year Riders per Train Year Riders per Train , , , , NA , NA , , , , , Source: Zephyrs, Chiefs & Other Orphans ( )/Amtrak ( ) However, the fact that daily commuters dominated ridership on the train put it at odds with Amtrak s intercity mandate. As a result, in 1986 the service was transferred to the Maryland State Railroad Administration, which operated the commuter rail service to Martinsburg. In an effort to continue to serve West Virginia, Amtrak initiated a new service, the Shenandoah, beginning October 31, The Shenandoah operated between Washington and Cincinnati. As shown in the October 31, 1976 Amtrak timetable, the train made intermediate stops at Silver Spring, Rockville, Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, Cumberland, Keyser, Oakland, Rowlesburg, Grafton, Clarksburg, Parkersburg, Athens, OH, and Chillicothe, OH. The train operated daily. Westbound the train departed Washington at 9:25 AM, and arrived in Cincinnati at 11:59 PM. Eastbound the train departed Cincinnati at 6:45 AM, and arrived in Washington at 9:40 PM. In January 1978, in order to allow connections from the Shenandoah to Midwest and Western cities at Cincinnati, the schedule was changed from a daylight schedule to an overnight schedule. Thus the schedule was similar to B&O s National Limited that operated prior to Amtrak. Westbound the train departed Washington at 7:40 PM, and arrived in Cincinnati at 10:22 AM. Eastbound the train departed Cincinnati at 7:20 PM, and arrived in Washington at 10:20 AM. Outlined below is ridership and average ridership per train for the Shenandoah. Table 2: Shenandoah Ridership Calendar Riders Year Riders per Trn , , Source: Amtrak March 12, 2013 Page 6

8 The train was equipped with Amfleet equipment, 84-seat Amfleet coaches and one Amfleet Amdinette. Train consist size varied with passenger demand. During 1978 and 1979 the train offered Economy Sleepers. These were Amfleet coaches that were converted to include a pair of sleeping rooms similar to Superliner Economy bedrooms. Rail passenger service across central West Virginia has remained generally the same since the transition to Amtrak in Routes across Indiana have changed, schedules have switched from overnight to daylight across West Virginia, daily to tri-weekly (January 1982), and the endpoint cities in the Northeast changed, but service to West Virginia cities, except for one 90-day period, has remained relatively constant. Washington, DC was the original endpoint of the train, but between November 1971 and May 1972 the train operated to Boston. Beginning in April 1981 New York became the Cardinal s eastern terminal. Between July 1971 and June 1976 the train had a Newport News section with through cars operating between Charlottesville and Newport News. Beginning in October 1984 a Thruway bus route between Charlottesville and Richmond was inaugurated, which remains in operation today. The train was originally equipped with Heritage coaches, sleepers and diner-lounges from the predecessor railroads. By the fall of 1977 the train was re-equipped with Amfleet coaches, Amdinette and rebuilt Heritage sleepers. Between 1995 and 2002 the Cardinal operated with bilevel Superliner equipment. This required the train to be truncated at Washington, DC with connecting service to other Northeast cities. In 2002, a shortage of Superliner equipment and the desire to provide direct service to Northeast cities resulted in a change to single-level equipment and through service to New York. Rail passenger service in southern West Virginia saw several attempts to create a viable route. Beginning in March 1975 as a two-year test, Amtrak initiated service between Norfolk and Cincinnati. Equipment consisted of Heritage coaches (including a dome-coach), a sleeping car and diner-lounge. The Mountaineer connected at Cincinnati with the James Whitcomb Riley offering through service from Norfolk to Chicago. In January 1977 the Mountaineer was re-equipped with Amfleet coaches but lost its sleeping car. As a result of modest ridership (average about 106 per train) and large financial losses, the Mountaineer was discontinued in May 31, Replacing the Mountaineer on June 1, 1977 was the Hilltopper which operated between Washington and Tri-State Station (Catlettsburg, KY). Beginning in January 1978 Amfleet coaches were operated as part of the Night Owl overnight between Boston and Washington offering through service from New England to West Virginia. South of Washington the Hilltopper operated via Richmond and Roanoke before entering West Virginia near Bluefield. In 1978, as required by the Amtrak Improvement Act of 1978, the USDOT undertook an analysis of Amtrak s route system, ridership and ticket revenue performance. The Final Report to Congress recommended the discontinuance of several routes including the Shenandoah and Hilltopper. The Hilltopper was discontinued in October 1979, while the Shenandoah was discontinued September 30, 1981 in conjunction with start-up of the Washington Chicago Capitol Limited which continues to serve Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry. The Cardinal was also discontinued on September 30, 1981; however, as a result of congressional action, service was reinstated in January March 12, 2013 Page 7

9 Current Amtrak Service West Virginia is served by two long-distance Amtrak trains linking Washington and other east coast cities with Chicago. There is currently no high-frequency corridor services provided in the state. As outlined in the commuter rail technical memorandum, there is weekday service from the Northern Panhandle to Washington, DC operated by MARC. Within West Virginia Amtrak operates entirely over the trackage of Class I railroads. In the terminal areas of Washington and Chicago the trains operate over Amtrak-owned trackage. In Virginia, the Cardinal operates on the Buckingham Branch Railroad (a short line railroad). Due to limited capital funding the Amtrak passenger car fleet is smaller than optimum and is insufficient to meet current passenger demand. While this has constrained traffic growth, a combined strategy of revenue management and targeted marketing, combined with high gasoline prices, have driven ridership and ticket revenues to record levels. Current routes appear in Figure 2. Figure 2: Current Amtrak Routes Capitol Limited As outlined in the previous section, the Capitol Limited was an outgrowth of the route analysis undertaken in the USDOT s 1978 Final Report to Congress. Previously Washington to Chicago service was provided with through cars connecting to the Broadway Limited in Philadelphia. The Capitol Limited operates between Washington and Chicago. The service consists of one daily round-trip stopping at Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, WV. Key intermediate stops outside West Virginia include: Rockville, MD, Pittsburgh, PA, Cleveland, OH, Toledo, OH, and South Bend, IN. March 12, 2013 Page 8

10 Westbound the train leaves Washington at 4:05 PM and reaches Chicago at 8:45 AM the next day. Eastbound the train leaves Chicago at 6:10 PM and arrives in Washington at 12:40 PM the next day. The Capitol Limited s scheduled departure and arrival times in Washington supplement MARC rushhour commuter service between Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry and Washington, DC. Table 3: Route Segments of the Capitol Limited Washington - Cumberland Cumberland - Pittsburgh Pittsburgh - Cleveland Cleveland - Chicago Total Source: Amtrak Timetable May miles 153 miles 140 miles 341 miles 780 miles (90 miles in WV) A map of the Capitol Limited route appears in Figure 3. Through West Virginia, the Capitol Limited operates on track owned by CSX Transportation (CSXT). Yearly train-miles (TM) total approximately 569,400 TM, with 63,510 of those in West Virginia. Figure 3: Capitol Limited Route Source: Amtrak The Capitol Limited operates with Amtrak Superliner equipment. These cars are bi-level with passenger accommodations on two levels. The Superliner equipment provides coach seats, sleeping car rooms, full service dining, a Sightseer Lounge and a crew dormitory. A single level baggage car provides checked baggage service. In Fiscal Year 2012 the Capitol Limited carried 226,900 riders, a 0.1% increase over the previous year. At $20.4 million, ticket revenue also showed growth increasing 0.8% compared to the previous year. Both ridership and ticket revenue have shown strong growth compared to The Chicago Washington city pair generates nearly 40% of the ridership and almost 60% of the revenue. This high percentage of endpoint travel compared to other long-distance trains is a result of the substantial number of connecting passengers using the train. In Chicago the Capitol Limited connects with all the western long-distance trains and the Chicago Hub Network, while in Washington the train connects to trains destined to Florida and the Carolinas. In Pittsburgh the Capitol Limited connects to the Pennsylvanian serving Philadelphia and New York City. Chicago Pittsburgh (14%) and Pittsburgh Washington (7%) are the next largest city pairs. March 12, 2013 Page 9

11 Based on the 2005 Amtrak Ridership Profile for the Capitol Limited, passengers are mostly taking leisure trips (almost 90%). The majority of these trips are for visiting family and friends while vacation/recreational trips account for the remainder of this category. Trips to and from school, trips for personal business or medical appointments, and business trips account for the remainder of trips (just over 10%). Almost one-third of riders chose the Capitol Limited because they did not want to fly or drive, or because there was no alternative transportation available. Over 40% chose the train because of its comfort or to view the scenery. The key recommendation in Amtrak s FY10 Performance Improvement Plan for the Capitol Limited is the establishment of through service between Chicago/Toledo/Cleveland and Philadelphia/New York. Through cars from the Pennsylvanian would be added to the Capitol Limited in Pittsburgh. This improvement would eliminate the need to change trains at Pittsburgh at late night or early morning hours and significantly increase ridership and revenue. This change and others outlined in the report (see Proposed Rail Improvements section) would result in 20,400 additional riders, a 9% increase in revenue and a 4 point improvement in the cost recovery ratio (from 47% to 51%). Cardinal The Cardinal operates tri-weekly between New York City and Chicago, serving intermediate stations at Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlottesville, VA; White Sulphur Springs, WV; Charleston, WV; Huntington, WV; Cincinnati, OH; and Indianapolis, IN. Westbound the train leaves New York Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:45 AM and reaches Chicago the next day at 10:05 AM on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Eastbound the train leaves Chicago Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 5:45 PM, reaching New York the next day at 9:56 PM on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The Cardinal schedule offers daytime service in both directions linking West Virginia and major cities in the Northeast. However, tri-weekly service limits the appeal of the train for shorter distance travel to and from the Northeast Corridor. The distances between some of the major cities along this route are as follows: New York City - Charlottesville Charlottesville - White Sulphur Springs White Sulphur Springs - Charleston Charleston - Huntington Huntington - Cincinnati Cincinnati - Indianapolis Indianapolis - Chicago Total Source: Amtrak Timetable May 2012 Table 4: Route Segments of the Cardinal 340 miles 132 miles 147 miles 49 miles 160 miles 123 miles 196 miles 1,147 miles (208 miles in West Virginia) A map of the Cardinal route appears in Figure 4. Through West Virginia the Cardinal operates on track owned by CSXT. Yearly train-miles total approximately 357,864 TM, with 65,208 of those in West Virginia. March 12, 2013 Page 10

12 Figure 4: Cardinal Route Source: Amtrak The Cardinal operates with single-level equipment, due to limited clearances through tunnels between Washington and New York. The train carries coaches, a sleeping car, Amfleet II Diner/Lite and baggage car. In Fiscal Year 2012 the Cardinal carried 116,400 riders, a 4.9% increase over the previous year. At $7.5 million, ticket revenue also showed strong growth increasing 6.2% compared to the previous year. Unlike on the Capitol Limited, few Cardinal passengers travel between the end-point cities. The primary role of the Cardinal is connecting mid-route communities (many in West Virginia) to major cities and connecting hubs on the East Coast and Chicago. The most travelers (over 60%) are making journeys that begin or end at the smaller intermediate stations and are generally traveling to/from the major cities. Because of these characteristics, riders on the Capitol Limited generate more ticket revenue per passenger ($90) than do riders on the Cardinal ($70). However, the Cardinal is clearly a vital asset connecting isolated communities where the train is often the only form of intercity public transportation available. Based on the 2005 Amtrak Ridership Profile for the Cardinal passengers are mostly taking leisure trips (over 90%). The majority of these trips are for visiting family and friends while vacation/recreational trips account for the remainder of this category. Trips to and from school, trips for personal business or medical appointments, and business trips account for the remainder of trips (almost 10%). About one-third of riders chose the Cardinal because they do not want to fly or drive, or because there was no alternative transportation available. Over 30% chose the train because of its comfort or to view the scenery. It is likely that most Cardinal riders would not travel or travel to West Virginia if the train did not operate. The Cardinal is one of Amtrak s most scenic routes traveling through Virginia horse country, the Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains and the New River Gorge. It is a link from the Northeast and Midwest to many of West Virginia s recreational areas. The key recommendation in the Amtrak s FY10 Performance Improvement Plan for the Cardinal is the establishment of daily service between Chicago and New York. Daily service would substantially March 12, 2013 Page 11

13 improve the train s utility and marketability. The train s vital role in linking rural communities with major Eastern and Midwest cities would be greatly enhanced with daily service. It addition the train would be more attractive for short-distance local trips. Daily service would also improve the efficiency of equipment and crew utilization. This change and others outlined in the report (see Proposed Rail Improvements section) would result in 135,000 additional riders, a 124% increase in revenue and an 8 point improvement in the cost recovery ratio (from 27% to 35%). Finally, new sleeping cars, dining cars and baggage-dormitory cars are under construction that will replace Heritage baggage cars and supplement Amfleet II Diner/Lite and sleeping car capacity. Thruway Bus Service There are currently no Amtrak Thruway bus routes operating in West Virginia. West Virginia Statewide Ridership Totals National intercity rail passenger ridership and ticket revenues reached new record levels in FY 2012 with over 31 million riders carried and $2.0 billion in ticket revenues. Amtrak ridership in West Virginia continued upward in FY 2012 with ridership increasing 2.7% to almost 55,000 riders. Annual Trends As was noted above, total West Virginia Amtrak ridership for FY 2012 increased 2.7% percent compared to FY Shown in Table 5 is the route ridership and ticket revenue for the Capitol Limited and the Cardinal. While ridership and ticket revenue softened during the recent recession, the slowly recovering economy, improved service, and high gasoline prices have resulted in continuing strong growth in recent years. Table 5: Ridership, Ticket Revenue and Costs by Route Capitol Limited Cardinal Ridership Ticket Costs Ridership Ticket Costs Rev (mil) Rev (mil) (mil) FY ,884 $20.5 TBD 116,373 $7.5 TBD FY ,597 $20.3 $ ,923 $7.1 $25.3 FY ,596 $18.6 $ ,053 $6.4 $25.7 FY ,371 $17.6 $ ,614 $6.4 $22.0 FY ,350 $17.4 $ ,195 $6.5 $20.0 Source: Amtrak Train Earnings/Monthly Performance Report With large numbers of leisure riders, Amtrak s long-distance trains have traditionally shown a wide variation of ridership by season. However, with growing demand and capacity constraints much of this seasonality, especially in the fall and spring, has disappeared. For the Cardinal and Capitol Limited only January and February exhibit ridership substantially below the average (about 20-25%) while May through August exhibit ridership about 20% above average. March 12, 2013 Page 12

14 Shown in Table 6 are the number of boardings and alightings at each station in West Virginia for Fiscal Year 2010 through Fiscal Year Growth at Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg offset the lack of gains or declines at other stations. Table 6: Amtrak Riders in West Virginia FY 2010 Through 2012 Station FY 2010 FY2011 % Chg. FY2012 % Chg. Alderson % % Charleston 9,507 9, % 9, % Harpers Ferry 4,618 5, % 5, % Hinton 8,803 8, % 8, % Huntington 11,345 11, % 11, % Martinsburg 6,986 7, % 8, % Montgomery % % Prince 3,364 3, % 3, % Thurmond % % White Sulphur Springs 4,654 6, % 5, % Total West Virginia 51,148 53, % 54, % Source: Amtrak State Fact Sheet Route Metrics The performance of Amtrak routes is measured by a series of key metrics as outlined by the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of These metrics are financial, operational, and measures of customer satisfaction. Section 207 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008 required and outlined a methodology for the development of standards for measuring the performance and service quality of Amtrak s routes. These standards are noted below. Financial Performance Amtrak s fiscal year begins on October 1. Amtrak reports route revenue on a monthly and yearto-date basis. Operating costs, however, are reported a year after they are incurred. Thus, for an apples-to-apples comparison, October 2010 September 2011 (FY11) revenue is compared with operating costs for the October 2011 September 2012 period (FY11 costs). These reveal that the Capitol Limited s revenue covered 44.0% of its operating costs. This ratio is commonly known as the fare box recovery ratio. The figure for the Cardinal was 28.0%. This result reflects the less competitive nature of tri-weekly service. For the same FY11 time period, Amtrak s total long-distance service generated a 42.5% fare box recovery. Thus, it appears that only the Capitol Limited generates about the same financial results as the Amtrak long-distance network as a whole. Another key measure of financial performance is passenger miles per train-mile (PMTM). This measure reflects the overall productivity of the train. PMTM is a proxy substitute for load factor which for long-distance rail service is misleading because of the complex loading patterns and the boarding and detraining activity at intermediate stops. As outlined in FRA s Quarterly Report on the March 12, 2013 Page 13

15 Performance and Service Quality of Intercity Passenger Train Operations, for the 12 months ending March 2012 the Cardinal had a PMTM of 129 while the Capitol Limited had a PMTM of 199. On-Time Performance Amtrak defines On-Time Performance (OTP) as the total number of trains arriving on-time at a station divided by the total number of trains operated on that route. A train is considered on-time if it arrives at the final destination within an allowed number of minutes, or tolerance, of its scheduled arrival time. Trains are allowed a certain tolerance based on how far they travel. The service standard for on-time performance for the long-distance trains is 80%. OTP Annual Trend The overall OTP for all Amtrak routes in FY 2011 was 78%. In FY 2011 the Capitol Limited averaged 49% OTP, while the Cardinal averaged about 39%. These OTP percentages are very poor and also represent a double-digit decline compared to the previous year. A consistent and high on-time performance makes the rail service more attractive to riders, especially those traveling shorter distances. Cause of OTP Delays Causes for Amtrak train delays can be attributed to a number of reasons including the host railroad, Amtrak itself, or other delays such as grade-crossing collisions. Table 7 shows the leading causes of delay in percent of delay minutes for routes through West Virginia in June 2012 and represents the key delays that negatively impact OTP. Please note that passenger related delays includes unspecified Delays in Block and Passenger Holds delays where the train is held for a late Amtrak connection. Table 7: Causes of Delay to Amtrak Trains Serving West Virginia, June 2012 Causes of Delay Route Capitol Limited Cardinal Train Interference 29.5% 21.7% Slow Orders 9.2% 17.9% Passenger Related Delays 18.9% 26.3% All Other Freight Railroad Operational Delays 29.6% 25.1% All Other Delays 12.8% 9.0% Source: Amtrak Monthly Performance Report for June 2012 Train interference delays are related to other train movements in the area. These can be freight trains as well as other Amtrak trains. Slow Orders are related to the railroad infrastructure and/or maintenance work being done on the tracks or signaling systems. This includes delays from reduced speeds to allow safe operation due to the track problems. Passenger Related Delays are related to the boarding of passengers (e.g., heavy holiday loads, disabled passengers, large groups, checked baggage, etc.) and passenger holds for connections. All Other Freight Railroad delays are related to signal failures, debris and routing delays (e.g., use of a siding rather than the main line). March 12, 2013 Page 14

16 All other delays could include delays caused by the weather and non-railroad third-party factors such as customs and immigration, a bridge opening for waterway traffic, police activity, grade- crossing accidents or loss of power due to a utility company failure. Customer Service Indicator Amtrak s Customer Service Indicator (CSI) Scores measure the satisfaction by passengers, on an 11- point scale, of a particular aspect of their trip. For example a CSI score of 80 means 80% of respondents rated the aspect of their trip in the top three boxes of the 11 steps of the scale. Table 8 shows the CSI scores for the Capitol Limited and the Cardinal for the 12-month period ending in March CSI scores are falling below the standard in some cases by a significant amount. These lower scores in the delivery of some services could be impacted by poor on-time performance. Table 8: Customer Service Indicator Scores 12 Months April 2011-March 2012 Route Service Standard Capitol Limited Cardinal Overall Service Amtrak Personnel Information Given On-Board Comfort On-Board Cleanliness On Board Food Service Red: CSI Scores below goals. Source: FRA Quarterly Report on the Performance and Service Quality of Intercity Passenger Train Operations Overall Service is the measure for the respondents rating for their overall trip experience. Amtrak Personnel is the measure for the respondents rating Amtrak reservations personnel, station personnel, train crew and on-board service crew. Information Given is the measure for the respondents rating all information they received pertaining to their trip. On-Board Comfort is the measure for the respondents rating seat or sleeping compartment comfort, air temperature and ride quality. On-Board Cleanliness is the measure for the respondents rating the cleanliness of the train and onboard restrooms. On-Board Food Service is the measure for the respondents rating the quality of the food and snacks purchased on-board the train. Stations In addition to serving as gateways to trains for passengers, rail stations are also gateways for the cities served by these trains. Rail stations are a focus for activity and foster economic development, March 12, 2013 Page 15

17 commercial endeavors, tourism, cultural activities, civic pride and historic preservation in their cities. There are ten (10) active Amtrak stations in West Virginia. Two are located in the Eastern Panhandle (Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg), and the remainder are located in the south central part of the state. Four stations Charleston, Hinton, Huntington, and Martinsburg account for 71% of the state s ridership, as can be seen in Table 5. Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg, served by the Capitol Limited, have daily service. Alderson, Charleston, Hinton, Huntington, Montgomery, Prince, Thurmond and White Sulphur Springs, served by the Cardinal, have tri-weekly service. Stations with tri-weekly service see trains three days per week (Sunday, Wednesday and Friday) and no service on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Three stations Charleston, Huntington, and Prince are staffed by a ticket agent and offer checked baggage service. The remaining seven stations are unstaffed, although Martinsburg has a Quik-Trak ticketing machine. Unstaffed stations are facilities with either platforms with shelters or structures with enclosed waiting rooms. Three of the unstaffed stations Hinton, Martinsburg and White Sulphur Springs have part-time caretakers that open and close the station structures at train time. Alderson and Thurmond are flag stops, where the train will stop only if there is a passenger with a reservation to board or detrain at that station. The other stations are regular stops. The Charleston and Huntington stations are fully wheelchair accessible, while the Prince and Martinsburg stations are generally wheelchair accessible, although not all station facilities are accessible. All other West Virginia stations are not wheelchair accessible. As outlined on the Great American Stations website, the Charleston station is a Neo-Classical Beaux- Arts style building extensively renovated in The station is staffed and is scheduled to receive additional Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant parking spaces, curb cuts and tactile edging as part of Amtrak s Mobility First Initiative. This initiative, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), is designed to eliminate or reduce barriers to the disabled in accessing Amtrak trains. The platform is owned by CSXT. Some parking is available adjacent to the station (owned and managed by the restaurant located in the station). Three Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority bus routes operate past the station. The Huntington Amtrak station is a relatively new facility built in 1983 using one of Amtrak s standard station designs. The station is staffed and is also a base for train crews. The platform, station and parking area are owned by CSXT. Short and long-term parking is available adjacent to the station. The Amtrak station in Prince is unique in design and function. Its Art Moderne design was to set a new standard for rail stations on the C&O. It serves as a gateway to Beckley, the area s growing recreation market and the Boy Scouts of America Summit Bechtel Reserve Jamboree and High Adventure Camp. Finally, the station ownership and operating authority is now overseen by the Prince Rail Depot Authority, a unique partnership of Fayette and Raleigh counties. The platform is owned by CSXT and there is limited parking at the station. The Hinton Amtrak station, part of Historic Downtown Hinton, is unstaffed. The station is opened and maintained by a caretaker. It is currently undergoing a series of repairs and renovation funded by the city of Hinton. The next phase will work to address some of the improvements needed to bring the station into compliance with ADA requirements. All facilities are owned by CSXT, and there is parking available adjacent to the station. March 12, 2013 Page 16

18 The Amtrak station at White Sulphur Springs is across the street from the Greenbrier Resort and is controlled by the resort. While unstaffed, a caretaker opens the doors for departing and arriving passengers. The resort has converted the station into a Christmas store and gift shop. Its red exterior with green accents and red and white candy cane striped pillars make it a distinctive rail station. A new wheelchair lift, informational kiosk and tactile platform edge are some of the improvements to be funded by the Mobility First program. The platform is owned by CSXT, and there is parking available adjacent to the station. Thurmond Station, like Harpers Ferry, is in a national park, the New River Gorge National River. The Park Service owns the station and uses it as a visitor center during the summer months. The platform is owned by CSXT and parking is available adjacent to the station. The Martinsburg Station complex is owned by the City of Martinsburg. The platforms are owned by CSXT. The City of Martinsburg maintains the station and opens the waiting room. The former hotel, now renovated into offices, is an historic structure. The new historic style station annex was completed in The station is the transit center and route hub for PanTran, the local transit bus. Parking is available in a city owned lot. The Harpers Ferry Station is part of the historic district. Built in 1894, it was transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) in In April 2007, after a $2.2 million renovation, the wood-framed station was rededicated. The platforms are owned by CSXT, while West Virginia owns and maintains the platform shelters and cleans the platform and under track tunnel. The National Park Service maintains the station building. Parking is available in an adjacent parking lot owned and maintained by the NPS. The station is not staffed and no tickets are sold at this location. The waiting room is opened by the NPS, primarily during morning commute hours. One PanTran bus route serves the station. Renovation of the Harpers Ferry underpass head house shelters is currently underway. When completed, the shelters will be structurally sound and match the historical style of the station. The project cost is estimated to total about $365,000. The next phase is to fund platform construction to make the station fully ADA-compliant. Alderson and Montgomery are unstaffed stations. Montgomery has a platform shelter for waiting passengers, while Alderson passengers use the eaves of the station for shelter. The local transit bus line hub is located adjacent to the Montgomery station. The platforms of both stations are owned by CSXT, and there is parking available adjacent to the station. ADA Compliance Amtrak s A Report on Accessibility and Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, produced in 2009, notes that eight of West Virginia s in-service stations are required to be ADAcompliant. These are Charleston, Harpers Ferry, Hinton, Huntington, Martinsburg, Montgomery, Prince and White Sulphur Springs. The other stations are flag stops, which are not required to be ADA-compliant. The eight were assessed as to the levels of ADA compliance of their station structures, platforms and pathways. The levels of compliance include: Generally Compliant for stations scoring above 80% on their compliance score; Partially Compliant for stations scoring between 20% and 79%; and Minimally Compliant for stations scoring lower than 20%. In 2009 four of West Virginia s stations White Sulphur Springs, Prince, Montgomery and Hinton were rated as Minimally Compliant. The remaining four Charleston, Harpers Ferry, Huntington and Martinsburg were rated as Partially Compliant. March 12, 2013 Page 17

19 The same report cited preliminary cost estimates for improvements ensuring ADA compliance and a state of good repair for station structures, platforms, and pathways. The total of these estimated costs was about $9.6 million. Amtrak and the freight railroads are currently working to develop strategies and plans to meet the FRA s new requirements requiring level boarding to accommodate passengers with disabilities. This is a very complex task integrating the needs of railroad clearance requirements, freight traffic, and the mix of different boarding levels by type of equipment (Superliner, single-level, and commuter) that often operate on the same line, while fulfilling the requirements and spirit of the ADA statute. Station Characteristics Table 9 summarizes the existing West Virginia Amtrak stations and specific information about the station. Two of the Amtrak Stations, Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry, are shared with MARC commuter rail service. A third MARC station, not shared by Amtrak, is included in the review as well. March 12, 2013 Page 18

20 Table 9: West Virginia Station Locations Location Huntington Charleston Montgomery Thurmond Owner CSXT Susan Lee Haddad/ CSXT Platforms Montgomery Parking Authority/CSXT National Park Service/ CSXT Platforms Platforms Address th Avenue Huntington, WV MacCorkle Avenue - Southeast Charleston, WV Third Avenue and Washington Street Montgomery, WV Hwy 25 & Hwy 2, 1,000 feet north of Intersection, Thurmond, WV Flag Stop? No No No Yes Served By: Cardinal Cardinal Cardinal Cardinal Platform Type Single Single Single Single Length 660' 700' 520' 240' Construction Concrete Asphalt Asphalt Asphalt Shelter Waiting area in Station Yes Yes None Lighting Partially lit Fully lit Fully lit Partially lit Platform Amenities Bench Benches Benches None Passenger Safety Yellow safety stripe Painted stripe Painted stripe None ADA Fully accessible Fully accessible Partially accessible Partially accessible Depot Hours 5:45am-10:45am and 430pm-11pm We, 7:00am-12pm and 3:30pm-10:00pm No hours No hours Fr, Su We, Fr, Su Seating Capacity None 6 Restrooms Yes Yes No Yes Vending Yes Yes No None Ticketing Staffed counter, baggage service, boxes Staffed counter, baggage service, Boxes None None for sale for sale Telephones Payphone Payphone Payphone None Shared Uses None Laury's Restaurant None NPS Parking 31 short term, 5 long term 3 short term, 5 long term 50 short term, 50 long term 5 short term, 5 long term ADA Parking 1 space 2 spaces None 4 spaces Intermodal None None KRT Bus Stop None Other $977,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs $972,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs $983,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs Shared with National Parks Service March 12, 2013 Page 19

21 West Virginia Station Locations Cont. Location Prince Hinton Alderson White Sulphur Springs Owner CSXT CSXT City of Alderson/CSXT Platforms Old White Development Company / CSXT Platforms Address 5034 Stanaford Road Prince, WV Second Avenue Hinton, WV C&O Plaza on Railroad Ave Alderson, WV West Main Street White Sulphur Springs, WV Flag Stop? No No Yes No Served By: Cardinal Cardinal Cardinal Cardinal Platform Type Single Single Single Single Length 1,100' 650' 230' 1,200' Construction Concrete Concrete Asphalt Concrete Shelter Yes Awning adjacent to depot Awning adjacent to depot Yes Lighting Fully lit Partially lit Partially lit Fully lit Platform Amenities None None Bench Benches Passenger Safety Yellow safety stripe Yellow safety stripe, tactile strip, and None Yellow safety stripe and tactile strip fence ADA Partially accessible Fully accessible Partially accessible Fully accessible Depot Hours 8:45am-8:15pm We, Fr, Su 9:15am-11:00am and 5:00pm-7:00pm No hours No hours We, Fr, Su Seating Capacity None Restrooms Yes Yes Yes No Vending Yes None No No Ticketing Staffed counter, baggage service, boxes None None None for sale Telephones Payphone None None None Shared Uses None CSXT None Christmas at the Depot Parking 30 short term, 30 long term 5 short term, 5 long term 10 short term, 10 long term 20 short term, 200 long term ADA Parking None 2 spaces None 1 space Intermodal None None None None Other $1,483,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs $898,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs Undergoing restoration, waiting room is open for passengers $1,520,000 in ADA Compliance and State of Good Repair Needs March 12, 2013 Page 20