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Commuter Rail Systems Subcommittee: AP065(4) �

101^st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board

Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

Marriott Marquis, Shaw/LaDroit Park (M3)

David O. Nelson, Chair Senior Consultant, Jacobs Engineering Boston, Massachusetts david.nelson@jacobs.com	TBD, Secretary

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Agenda

Subcommittee Management

Discussion Topics and Research Priorities

Commuter Rail Roundtable

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Subcommittee Management

New Subcommittee of AP065 and AP020

Review Mission Statement
Review Scope

Members and Friends
Volunteers
Other

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Subcommittee Management

New Subcommittee of AP065 and AR020

Review Mission Statement
Review Scope

Members and Friends
Volunteers
Other

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Subcommittee Mission

2021 Draft

Mission: To advance the efficiency and effectiveness of commuter rail with research on the social, economic, technological, and regulatory factors affecting the urban public transportation applications of passenger trains on the conventional railroad network.

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Subcommittee Scope

2021 Draft

Scope: The subcommittee is concerned with public transportation applications for urban passenger trains using tracks shared with the national conventional railroad system. Fields of exploration relate to operations, economics, technology, regulation, and implementation.

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What is commuter rail?

Federal Rail Safety Act (49 U.S. Code § 24102) - Definitions

(3) “commuter rail passenger transportation” means short-haul rail passenger transportation in metropolitan and suburban areas usually having reduced fare, multiple-ride, and commuter tickets and morning and evening peak period operations.

(4) “intercity rail passenger transportation” means rail passenger transportation, except commuter rail passenger transportation.

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What is commuter rail?

American Public Transportation Association

Commuter Rail is a mode of transit service …. for urban passenger train service consisting of local short distance travel operating between a central city and adjacent suburbs.

Service must be operated … for the purpose of transporting passengers within urbanized areas, or between urbanized areas and outlying areas. Such rail service…is generally characterized by multi-trip tickets, specific station to station fares, railroad employment practices and usually only one or two stations in the central business district.

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Subcommittee Management

New Subcommittee of AP065 and AR020

Mission Statement
Scope

Members, Sponsors and Friends
Volunteers
Other

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Members, Sponsors and Friends

Subcommittees are Flexible and Informal

All are welcome
All of us are smarter than some of us

TRB Sponsors

Urban Rail Transit Systems (AP065)
Rail Rolling Stock and Motive Power (AR020)

Related Organizations

APTA Commuter Rail Committee https://www.apta.com/member-resources/committees/commuter-rail/
Commuter Rail Coalition https://www.commuterrailcoalition.org/

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Subcommittee Management

New Subcommittee of AP065 and AR020

Mission Statement
Scope

Members and Friends
Volunteers
Other

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Volunteers

Open Positions

Secretary
Research Coordinator
Communications Coordinator

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Subcommittee Management

New Subcommittee of AP065 and AR020

Mission Statement
Scope

Members and Friends
Volunteers
Other

David O. Nelson

Self Powered Rail Car Technologies Subcommittee

Transportation Research Board

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Agenda

Subcommittee Management

Discussion Topics and Research Priorities

Commuter Rail Roundtable

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Discussion Topics & Research Priorities�

COVID Pandemic

Temporary Market Disruption
Permanent Market Changes Anticipated

Efficiency

Fare Collection and Fare Policy
Crewing and OPTO
Level Boarding and Accessibility
Nimble Responses to Changing Markets
Automation

Sustainability

Zero-Emissions Motive Power
Urban Rail Service (S-Bahn)
First Mile / Last Mile

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COVID Pandemic�

Temporary Market Disruption

Social Distancing
Work from Home
Dramatic Ridership Drops

Permanent Market Changes Anticipated

Work from Home has “too successful”

Less Peak Traffic Congestion
Less Competition for Parking
Work travel will be less frequent and less peaked

New model for commuter rail service design indicated

Less peaked demand
More midday and evening
Bidirectional
Fewer Economies of Scale

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COVID-19 and the US Transit Market

Local Services serving City Dwellers

Smaller Initial Hit
Stronger Recovery

Regional Services linking suburbs to city

Hardest Hit
More modest recovery

Differences reflect travel markets

Work from Home
Automobile Availability

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Commuter Rail @ the COVID Crossroads

Temporary Market Disruption

Social Distancing
Work from Home
Dramatic Ridership Drops

Permanent Market Changes Anticipated

Work from Home is “too successful”

Less Peak Traffic Congestion
Less Competition for Parking
Work travel will be less frequent, less peaked

New model for service design

Less peaked demand
More midday and evening
Bidirectional
Fewer Economies of Scale

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COVID 19 Ridership Response

Industry Wide Losses 64% July 2021 vs July 2020

Losses greatest

Peak only services
High Work from Home Propensity

Losses less

All Day Services
Bidirectional Services

Biggest Losers

Minneapolis North Star -93%
Maryland MARC -92%
Virginia Railway Express -87%
Connecticut Intrastate -84%
Seattle Sounder -84%

Least Affected

Denver RTD -28%
Miami Tri-Rail -42%
NY LIRR -51%

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The Road to Recovery: Legacy Systems

Legacy Systems are Bouncing Back

Metro New York Systems have recovered more than 50%

Boston and Philadelphia Similar Recovery Trajectory

Chicago Slower

San Francisco and Maryland Lagging

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The Road to Recovery: New Start Systems

Recovery is more Uneven

Denver, Miami, Utah , Orlando

Hit least, faring best

More traditional commuter services

Hit harder, recovering more slowly
LA, Seattle, DC, San Jose, Minneapolis

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COVID 19 Service Response

Car Miles Down 20%

Shorter trains

But room for social distancing

Fewer trains

Less peak service
Less late-night service
Less weekend service
Some RRs adding midday & early AM service

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COVID 19 Productivity Trend

Boardings per Car Mile are Improving

Shorter and Fewer Trains

20% Fewer Car Miles than 2019

Passengers are Coming Back

Down 82% in 2020
Down 64% in 2021

Boardings per Car Mile are Rising

Down 78% in 2020
Down 55% in 2021

Biggest Improvements

Denver, Miami, LIRR,
Marin County, MetroNorth, SEPTA, UTA

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COVID 19 Productivity Improvements

Boardings / Car Mile Dramatically Improving

Boardings per Car Mile

Up 102% from 2020 Industry Wide

Hardest hit showing largest relative improvements

Philadelphia +220%
San Diego +193%
Nashville +177%
Minneapolis +151%
LIRR +143%
NJTransit +139%
Caltrain +139%

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Road to Recovery:�Successful Work from Home�

May permanently change commuter travel habits

Boston is considering 56% ridership recovery by mid-2022

Others are considering:

60% recovery by 2023

100% recovery by 2029

Future commuter rail travel will be less peaked:

Fewer everyday commuters

More flexible work schedules

Potential demand for all day mobility service

but traditional peak commuter market may never be the same.

David O. Nelson

Self Powered Rail Car Technologies Subcommittee

Transportation Research Board

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Urgent Research Needs

Has urban-suburban commuting permanently changed?

If so, Why? How? and How Much?

How will Commuter Rail ridership recover in the post-COVID era?

How should Commuter Rail respond to changing travel patterns?

Diesel Multiple Units in 21st Century America: A Comparative Survey and Evaluation

David O. Nelson, Tara Blakey and Kay O’Neil

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Efficiency: Innovation and Research�

With less density of travel, commuter rail will be pressed to lower its costs of operation

Fare Collection and Fare Policy
Crewing and One Person Train Operations
Level Boarding and Accessibility
Nimble Responses to Changing Markets
Leveraging new train control technologies

What can we do with PTC?
Automation and Self-Driving Trains

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Sustainability: Innovations & Research�

Climate change didn’t stop during COVID Times

Zero-Emissions Motive Power

9% of Vehicle Miles are run by “All-Electric” railroads

SEPTA, DEN, NICTD

56% operated by “Mostly Electric”

MNR, LIRR, NJT

5% operated by “Some Electric”

Metra, MARC

20% operated by “All Diesel” railroads

MBTA, MetroLink, all others

Urban Rail Services (S-Bahn / RER)
First Mile / Last Mile

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Major Research Directions?

Work from Home vs Commuter Rail
Faster, Better and Cheaper
Cleaner and Greener

4. What did we forget?

Diesel Multiple Units in 21st Century America: A Comparative Survey and Evaluation

David O. Nelson, Tara Blakey and Kay O’Neil

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Special Presentation

Reimagining Regional Rail for All

Jody Holton

Assistant General Manager, Planning

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)

Diesel Multiple Units in 21st Century America: A Comparative Survey and Evaluation

David O. Nelson, Tara Blakey and Kay O’Neil

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Agenda

Subcommittee Management

Discussion Topics and Research Priorities

Commuter Rail Roundtable

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Long Island Railroad

350,000 passengers on typical weekday
124 stations
319 route miles.
1,185 single level EMUs, bilevel coaches, diesel locomotives and dual mode locomotives.
Managed and operated by a railroad workforce on a public agency payroll.
Mostly electrified with some diesel branches.

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Metro North Railroad

290,000 weekday passengers
112 stations
385 route miles
Five main lines
Four branches
1,206 EMUs, coaches, diesel and dual mode locos
Managed and operated by a railroad workforce on a public agency payroll.

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New Jersey �Transit

307,000 weekday passengers
11 lines with 165 stations
1,305 coaches, EMUs and locomotives (diesel and electric)
Most service runs to Manhattan.
Some service to Hoboken
One route from Philadelphia to Atlantic City
Managed and operated by a railroad workforce on a public agency payroll.

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Chicago�Metra

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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263,000 weekday passengers
11 lines with 241 stations
488 route miles
1,188 coaches, EMUs and diesel locomotives
Four terminals in downtown Chicago
Service operated by mix of public employees and private freight railroads

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Philadelphia SEPTA

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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125,000 weekday passengers
13 lines
155 stations
280 route miles
404 EMUs, coaches, and electric locomotives
Center City Tunnel
All electric
Public employees

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David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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124,000 weekday passengers
13 lines
138 stations
398 route miles
480 coaches, and diesel locos
Two downtown terminals
US largest competitive contract
SNCF/Keolis management

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62,000 weekday passengers
32 stations
77 route miles
92 weekday trains
29 locos
134 coaches
“Baby Bullet”
Competitive contract (Herzog)

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Maryland Transit Administration

34,000 Weekday Passengers
93 weekday trains
42 Stations
187 Route Miles
142 Coaches and Locomotives
450% Ridership growth in last 30 years

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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12,000 weekday passengers
20 stations
90 route miles
39 weekday trains

82 EMU and coaches
100% Electric
Public ownership and operation

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New Start Commuter Railroads�1988-2018

Seattle Sounder (2000)
Nashville Music City Star (2006)
New Mexico Rail Runner (2006)
Utah Frontrunner (2008)
Minneapolis NorthStar (2010)
Orlando SunRail (2014)
Denver Fastrak (2016)
Hartford Line (2018)

Miami Tri-Rail (1988)
Connecticut Shore Line East. (1990)
Los Angeles Metrolink (1992)
Virginia Railway Express (1992)
San Diego Coaster (1995)
Dallas Trinity Railway Express (1996)
Altamont Corridor Express (1998)

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Founded 1988
14,000 weekday passengers
18 stations
72 route miles
50 weekday trains
18 locos
50 coaches
Competitive contract (Herzog/Transdev)

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Connecticut Shoreline East

Founded 1990
3,000 weekday boardings, 32 weekday trains,
Extends Metro North New Haven service
Amtrak operation of Connecticut owned rolling stock
Diesel push-pull under wires

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Los Angeles Metrolink

Founded 1992
49,000 weekday boardings
Seven lines,
61 stations,
534 miles
100% competitive contracted.
312 locomotives and coaches
Crash Energy Management and PTC Pioneer

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Virginia Railway Express

Founded 1992
18,000 weekday boardings
Two lines,
19 stations,
90 miles
100% competitive contracted.
Peak-only service
Highest average train loads
Highest cost per train mile

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San Diego�

Founded 1995
5,300 weekday boardings
One line,
8 stations,
44 route miles
22 weekday trains
7 locos,
28 coaches
100% competitively contracted.
Amtrak pass program

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Dallas’ Trinity Railway Express

Founded 1996
7,400 weekday boardings
One line
10 stations
34 route miles
71 weekday trains
9 locos,
25 coaches
100% competitively contracted.
Two more lines in development

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Altamont Corridor Express

Founded 1998
5,000 weekday boardings
One line
10 stations
86 route miles
10 peak-only trains
6 locos,
30 coaches
100% competitively contracted.

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Seattle

Founded 1998
16,000 weekday boardings
Two lines
12 stations
93 route miles
32 peak-only weekday trains
14 locomotives
67 coaches
Owner-operated by BNSF

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Nashville, Tennessee

Founded 2006
1,100 weekday boardings
One line
6 stations
12 weekday trains

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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32 route miles
4 locos,
7 coaches
Competitively contracted

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New Mexico �Rail Runner

Founded 2006
3,000 weekday boardings
One line
15 stations
97 route miles
22 weekday trains
9 locomotives
22 coaches
Herzog contract operation

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Utah �Frontrunner

Founded 2008
16,000 weekday boardings
One line
18 stations
97 route miles
70 weekday trains
16 locomotives
45 coaches
One person crew
Lowest operating costs
Publicly operated

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Minneapolis, �Minnesota

Founded 2009
12,500 weekday boardings
One line
7 stations
40 route miles
12 weekday trains
6 locomotives
45 coaches
BNSF Owner Operated

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�Orlando, Florida

Founded 2014
3,500 weekday boardings
One line
12 stations
31 route miles
36 weekday trains
11 locomotives
20 coaches
Bombardier contract

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Denver, Colorado

Founded 2016
18,000 weekday boardings
Two+ lines
9 stations
28 route miles

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180 weekday trains
66 EMUs
DBOM / ACI Contract
100% Electric
One person crews

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2018

David O. Nelson

English Conversation:

Topics in Transport Operations and Management

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Commuter Rail Systems Subcommittee: AP065(4) �

101^st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board

Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.

Marriott Marquis, Shaw/LaDroit Park (M3)

David O. Nelson, Chair Senior Consultant, Jacobs Engineering Boston, Massachusetts david.nelson@jacobs.com	TBD, Secretary