In the Spring of 2005, New
York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno created a New York State High Speed Rail
Task Force to make recommendations for initiating a more efficient and effective rail
system throughout New York State. The Task
Force is headed by John Egan.
On
December 28, 2005, the Task Force delivered an Action Program to Senator Bruno that reported on the results of
an intensive, 6-month-long study that provided twenty-five recommendations for:
- improving the intercity passenger rail network;
- proposing a plan for integration into the
State’s transportation system;
- measuring associated economic impacts; and
- providing a system concept plan and an
implementation schedule.
The study
was completed on-time and under budget. Over
forty stakeholder groups were involved in the study, including rail customers, the
railroad owners and operators (Amtrak, Metro North, CSX and Canadian Pacific (CP)),
Federal, State and regional agencies, and public and private interest groups.
The Action Program
charts a new, comprehensive and statewide course for intercity passenger rail service,
focusing on short-term improvements in service and reliability. Over the long-term, better equipment and
additional capacity will reduce travel times between New York City, Albany, Syracuse,
Buffalo, and Niagara Falls, including a new, high-speed, fixed-guideway route between New
York City and Buffalo/Niagara Falls to meet emerging demand for the movement of people and
goods.
The Action
Program was presented at a Press Conference on January 4, 2006, and implementation of the
proposed recommendations is now in progress.
NEW YORK’S INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL
NETWORK
New York’s intercity passenger rail
network – the Empire Corridor and Adirondack Corridor – are served by interstate
and international through trains to Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal, and by intrastate
trains that operate entirely within New York State. The
Empire Corridor rail service is two corridors:
- The Capital
District—New York City (141-mile South Corridor) is for commuter and business service
for time-sensitive travelers and tourists.
- The Capital
District—Buffalo/Niagara Falls (319-mile West Corridor) is primarily for intercity,
price-sensitive travelers.
The predominant destination from both corridors
is New York City.
Intercity Rail Corridor Concepts
The Task Force investigated a range of options
for improving service in both the south and west corridors.
These options focus on improving quality of service to the customer by
reducing travel time, increasing reliability and frequency of service incrementally, and
attracting more people to intercity rail.
NEW YORK’S STRATEGIC INTEGRATED RAIL
NETWORK
The Action Program projects high future
demand for a new high speed intercity service on a new route. In the interim, available capacity in the existing
Empire Corridor will be stretched by growing demand for commuter, intercity, and freight
services. Ultimately, a new HSGT
fixed-guideway route will be implemented between New York City and Buffalo/Niagara Falls
to meet emerging demand for the movement of people and goods. This line will use new very
high speed rail or maglev technology, will become the regional service of choice for
distances between 300 and 500 miles, and will be part of a statewide integrated rail
network.
Integrated Rail Network Vision
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