JRC2010-36036 ESTIMATING MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR MIXED HIGHER SPEED PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL CORRIDORS

In order to reduce the cost of new intercity passenger rail corridors, the operation of higher speed passenger networks on existing freight corridors is being examined and considered. The issues to be addressed in such operations include the one-time upgrade of the track to allow for this higher speed passenger traffic and the ongoing maintenance costs necessary to maintain this track for the mixed higher speed passenger and freight operations. This latter issue is usually addressed in the access agreements for the corridor, and must include how these costs are to be shared. A recent US Federal Railroad Administration study specifically addressed the issue of “steady state ” maintenance costs for mixed use corridors consisting on this class of higher speed passenger operations and concurrent freight operations