Southwest Rail Corridor Coalition

The Arizona Rail Passenger Association, on behalf of the Southwest Rail Corridor Coalition, is pleased to present this summary describing the costs and benefits of revitalizing the Southwest Rail Corridor.

Two scenarios are examined, one permitting Amtrak’s transcontinental trains to return to their routing via Phoenix, the other offering multiple daily connections between Tucson, Phoenix and Los Angeles complemented by regional rail between Phoenix and Tucson.

Cost estimates are based on a study done by Kimley-Horn and Associates in 1998 and other resources in the Arizona Rail Passenger Association’s files. Schedules are for illustrative purposes only and do not include intermediate stations.

SCENARIO I.

Improve the Tucson to Phoenix, and Phoenix to Yuma, rail rights-of-way to accommodate 80 mile per hour passenger trains. Capital costs:

Category	Tucson – Phoenix	Phoenix - Yuma
Improve current single track, roadbed, signals	$50 million	$32 million

These improvements would provide Amtrak with adequate rail rights-of-way to operate the Sunset Limited (Los Angeles - Florida) and Texas Eagle (Los Angeles - Chicago) via Phoenix. Stations would include Los Angeles, Pomona, Ontario, and Palm Springs, California; Yuma, Buckeye/ Avondale/ Goodyear, Phoenix, Tempe/ Mesa, Coolidge, and Tucson, Arizona; with service continuing to Chicago and Florida via Texas.

Example Schedules.

Eastward			Westward
Los Angeles, CA	10:30pm		Benson	7:30pm
Yuma	3:00am		Tucson	8:30pm
Phoenix	6:00am		Phoenix	10:45pm
Tucson	8:15am		Yuma	1:45am
Benson	9:15am		Los Angeles, CA	6:15am

SCENARIO II.

Provide a complete rail system with multiple trips per day between Tucson, Phoenix, Yuma and Los Angeles. This includes complete system for regional rail (five round trips per day) from Phoenix to Tucson, and daily trips from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Stations on regional trips would include, for example, Phoenix, Sky Harbor International, Tempe, Mesa/Gilbert, Coolidge, Orange Grove Rd., and Tucson. Capital costs:

Category	Tucson – Phoenix	Phoenix - Yuma
Improve current single track, roadbed, signals (as above)	$50 million	$32 million
Upgrade to double track, roadbed, signals	$125 million
Stations, shops, yards	$20 million	$10 million
Rolling stock (Two train sets each segment)	$35 million	$35 million
Contingency/other	$150 million	$30 million
TOTALS	$380 million	$107 million

Example Schedules.

	Eastward
Los Angeles	10:30 pm					10:00 am
Yuma	3:00 am					2:30 pm
Phoenix	6:00 am	6:30 am	9:30 am	12:30 pm	3:30 pm	5:30 pm	6:30 pm
Tucson	8:15 am	8:30 am	11:30 am	2:30 pm	5:30pm	7:30 pm	8:30 pm
Benson	9:15 am

	Westward
Benson							7:30 pm
Tucson	6:30 am	8:00 am	9:30 am	12:30 pm	3:30 pm	6:30 pm	8:30 pm
Phoenix	8:30 am	10:00 am	11:30 am	2:30 pm	5:30 pm	8:30 pm	10:45 pm
Yuma		1:00 pm					1:45 am
Los Angeles		5:30 pm					6:15 am

Projected fares:Based on current Amtrak fares for similar city pair distances and the Kimley-Horn study, we project fares of Phoenix to Tucson $23 each way, Phoenix to Los Angeles $60 each way.

Benefits of the SWRC to Arizona:

• Links Arizona’s major population centers (Tucson and Phoenix) to southern California.
  Phoenix –Los Angeles ranks as the 14^th most heavily traveled metro pair in the country.
• Train service can be implemented concurrently with the widening of I-10, and can act as congestion mitigation during the construction of new lanes.
• Offers alternatives to increasingly congested roads and the hassles of air travel.
• Complements existing and improved bus and rail networks in Phoenix, Tucson, and Los Angeles.
• Provides transportation options to increase mobility and economic development.

Funding:

Depending on the operator selected (e.g. Amtrak, state, other private operator) varying amounts of funding would be provided by the operator. Other potential funding sources include:

• Federal Government

• Federal Transit Administration (50/50 split with state)
• Federal Highway Administration (congestion mitigation)
• Currently there are several bills before congress (e.g. Ride 21, HSRIA) that would increase funding for passenger railroads.

• State Government – Legislator would have to identify funding to support rail.
• Private – The operator of the line (e.g. Amtrak, other) would become a partner with the state/federal government and contribute a share.

Additional Information

Please visit http://www.azrail.org and http://www.southwestrail.org for additional information.