RAIL - Passenger & Freight
SGA has led a broad range of passenger and freight rail projects including system capacity analyses, rail feasibility studies, environmental studies, passenger ridership and revenue forecasts, FTA and FRA grant applications, station siting analyses, and assessments of adding passenger services to freight rail lines. SGA works directly with the rail industry to assess potential impacts to their operations, and how they might accommodate passenger services.
Similarly, SGA aids public agencies interested in adding passenger services within rail corridors and on rail alignments, as well as port districts desiring increased rail service. He provides data for analysis for the sophisticated capacity models used by the Class 1 railroads (i.e., the Rail Traffic Controller model), including growth rates for all classes of train types, market studies, and stakeholder interviews.
SELECTED PROJECTS | Rail-Passenger & Freight
I-5 RAIL CAPACITY STUDY
oregon and washington state departments of transportation
The I-5 Trade and Transportation Partnership, a consortium of public agencies in Portland, OR and SW Washington State focused on bi-state transportation issues, requested a study of the track capacity and railroad demands on the BNSF and UP railroad alignments between Kelso, WA and Salem, OR.
Both railroads commented that this segment is one of the slowest segments of all of their west coast services.
Using the RTC model and working with experts from both railroads, states of Washington and Oregon, and the ports of Vancouver and Portland, Sorin Garber led a team and steering committee through an evaluation to document growth in 14 types of trains that use, and are projected to use, the regional rail corridors.
Over $170 million in capacity improvement projects were identified and endorsed by both railroads, states and ports, nearly all of which have been constructed.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR PLAN, BUSINESS STRATEGY, and ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
ORegon department of transportation
Working with the Oregon Department of Transportation, Sorin Garber led a team in technical evaluations of high speed rail operational and track capacity requirements, ridership estimation, investment strategy and business planning.
The project led to a certified Federal Railroad Administration Environmental Assessment and a Capital Improvement Plan for incremental improvements that were ultimately financed by both the Union Pacific RR and the State of Oregon.
The plan advanced a passenger rail program to reduce travel time by 22%, double the train frequencies, and double ridership in five years. The study led to a funding package adopted by the Oregon Legislature for an additional daily round trip of passenger service.
As a follow-on, the Washington State DOT asked Mr. Garber to participate in an update of its business plan for passenger rail which became the Amtrak Cascades Plan for Washington State. He prepared updated operating plans and capital and operating costs for increased passenger rail service between Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR.
These efforts led to related work for the SW Washington Regional Transportation Council’s RTC Commuter Rail Study (between Vancouver, EWA and Portland, OR), and the North Sound Connecting Communities Project-Commuter Rail Feasibility Study for a proposed commuter rail line connecting the major communities between Everett, WA – Vancouver, BC.
METRO REGIONAL RAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY
PORTLAND METRO
Mr. Garber and Mr. Burgel are supporting a team in evaluating the condition, operations, ROWs, capital requirements, new track and equipment, station locations, and other considerations of the Portland region’s freight rail lines for potential passenger use.
The evaluation, which includes track in use by the Union Pacific Railroad, the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroad, and the Portland & Western Railroad (a subsidiary of the Genesee Wyoming Corporation) and abandoned railroad alignments, is responding to a legislative mandate for the 2025 legislature and involves coordination with the region’s railroads and outreach with a Technical Advisory Group.
In total, 29 rail segments were reviewed and then overlayed with ridership potential populations within 1/2 mile of those segments. This resulted in advancement of two "opportunity corridors" with relatively high ridership levels. They are: Cross-County Connector: Beaverton-Tigard-Lake Oswego-Milwaukie-Clackamas, and Beaverton-Tigard-Lake Oswego-Sherwood-Newberg. The rail operations analysis found that with relatively minimal track upgrades, CTC and four-quadrant gate crossings, frequentbus service.
