Mobility between major urban areas is a vital component of American society.  However, highways and airport facilities on vital intercity corridors around the nation are suffering unacceptable congestion as travel demand grows.  Construction of new limited access highways can cost $40 million per lane mile, and airport expansion is often not feasible because of surrounding development.  High-speed ground transportation systems such as those built in Europe and Japan provide superb service quality, but implementation of such systems in the United States has been prevented by high costs and the difficulties associated with acquiring new rights-of-way. 

Existing railroad routes provide an attractive, practical alternative to meet present and future mobility demands in corridors connecting major urban areas up to 400 miles apart.  Presently, technology is available to operate trains at speeds of 110-125 miles per hour, and potentially up to 150 miles per hour on existing infrastructure—as on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.  These technologies can provide competitive trip times on the order of three hours in selected corridors.

The Congress, in the Swift Rail Development Act of 1994, found the development of suitable technologies for the implementation of high-speed rail to be in the national interest and authorized the FRA to undertake such technology development.  The Next Generation Program was established to undertake that challenge.  Activities are underway in program elements where development and demonstration activities have a high potential return on investment when upgrade programs are implemented.

The Next Generation Program includes the following four elements:

1. Positive Train Control - Demonstrations of systems suited to maximizing the capacity of railroads to carry a mix of high-speed passenger, commuter, and freight trains with minimal risk of collision and at considerably lower cost than conventional railroad signal and control systems.
   
   
2. High-Speed Non-Electric Locomotive - Demonstration of a locomotive to achieve the speed and acceleration capability of electric trains without the expensive infrastructure of railroad electrification.
   
   
3. High-Speed Grade Crossing Protection - Development and demonstrations, including barrier systems and innovative warning devices, to provide nearly the same security as grade separations but at much lower cost.
   
   
4. Track and Structures Technology - Demonstrations of cost effectively increasing route capacity and/or improving performance of the infrastructure on existing corridors to be sufficiently robust to permit shared heavy freight and high-speed passenger use with satisfactory ride quality.

The Next Generation Program is built around these concepts to make available the new technology and devices that are particularly suited to applications for near-term implementation of high-speed rail by the states.  Federal sponsorship of the program is necessary because no single State represents a large enough market to justify the necessary technology development efforts.  The railroad supply industry perceives the market to be too small to independently fund technology development costs until several corridor upgrades are underway to substantiate a market of reasonable size.

The Next Generation Program is based on partnerships with suppliers of technology, railroads, and State governments.  By working with State and railroad partners, a real-world environment is provided for the application of these technologies, preparing the way for a smooth introduction when States are ready to implement their systems.  States that are now implementing incremental upgrade programs are targeting service speeds of 110 to 125 miles per hour for the near future, primarily on existing track used for freight operations. 

The Next Generation Program first received significant funding in FY 1995.  During the past six years, significant advances were accomplished in each of the major program areas, as separate technology and demonstration pursuits.  For the next five years, the strategic direction of the program will be to complete the major projects begun in each of the four program elements, and  upgrade demonstration corridors on an entire-corridor basis to validate the concept that high quality intercity rail passenger service can produce the revenue needed to sustain its own operations.  High-speed rail service can be realized only if one or more corridors achieve short trip times with safe, attractive, and reliable service on a sustained, daily basis.

The program element descriptions are based on actual FY 2001 and 2002 appropriations and the President’s FY 2003 Budget Request.  Activities described as occurring in Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 are contingent upon funds being appropriated to carry them out.

5.1 POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL DEMONSTRATIONS

Train control systems are mandated by the FRA for all track where any train will operate at 80 miles per hour or faster.  This mandate means that economical, effective train control systems are essential for the success of high-speed rail development.

At present, Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, the New York State Empire Corridor, and the Richmond/Washington section of the developing southeast high-speed corridor are equipped with train control systems that permit or could permit high-speed operation.  The systems presently installed are based on wayside signal information inductively coupled into the running rails and read by a receiver aboard each locomotive.  The onboard unit repeats the wayside signal indications inside the locomotive cab and is configured so that speed in excess of the permitted speed will result in an automatic application of the train brakes.  These systems work very well and have been proven over many years service.  However, the existing systems are limited in the number of speed indications presented to the engineer (usually 4), most do not enforce civil speed restrictions, and they require initial wiring and subsequent maintenance of control circuits to the rails of each track block, and are relatively expensive.

The digital data radio communications systems, wayside and onboard computers, and automatic positioning systems that are key elements of the Intelligent Railroad Systems described in Chapter 2 offer the potential for much more flexible control approaches at significantly reduced cost when compared with existing hard-wired technologies.

Why a Priority?

Installation of any train control system on a developing high-speed rail corridor and its locomotives is a major potential expense, hence a determinant of the feasibility of any high-speed upgrade.  Compounding the potential expense is the requirement that all locomotives operating on such territory also be equipped, including all freight trains operating there.  Since the locomotives of the major freight railroads are highly itinerant, either all freight locomotives of each freight carrier in the territory must be equipped or a dedicated equipped fleet of freight locomotives must be established to permit high-speed passenger operations on a corridor.  The cost of equipping freight locomotives becomes a major source of contention between passenger and freight railroads if the train control system is required only to permit high-speed passenger service.

Objectives

The objective of this program element is to complete the development of and to demonstrate advanced train control systems, proven to be safe and suitable for high-speed operations, which would be available to States and their partners at a cost significantly lower than conventional hard-wired signal systems.  A major technical objective is to demonstrate “flexible block” operations wherein the train control system will permit trains to be operated at the minimum headways consistent with safety, without regard to fixed wayside signal locations.  This will increase available route capacity for any given track layout, thereby making additional capacity available for the operation of high-speed trains.

Expected Outcomes

This program element will result in validated, cost-effective technologies—coordinated with the freight railroad industry—which States and their railroad partners will be able to select and implement on emerging high-speed corridors.  The effectiveness of the prospective train control systems must ultimately be demonstrated over total corridor lengths; dealing not only with

relatively simple, uncongested rural operations, but also with urban rail terminal areas where operations are frequent, complex, and compete for communications spectrum with thousands of other radio transmitters both on and off the railroad property.

Technology Demonstration Project Descriptions

Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) Project

ITCS is being installed on a segment of the Amtrak-owned portion of the Detroit-Chicago high-speed corridor under FRA sponsorship and in partnership with the State of Michigan, Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, and General Electric Transportation Systems Global Signaling.

This system monitors the status of the railroad through the electronics of the existing wayside signal system and radios this status information to computers aboard each locomotive.  The onboard computer compares the received status information with its onboard database and determines and informs the engineer of permitted speeds and limits of operation.  The onboard system stops the train if unsafe operation is attempted.  The ITCS approach is more basic than other HSPTC approaches in that it does not require a central control computer; but it thereby remains dependent on fixed wayside signal blocks and would not permit flexible block operation.

ITCS has been installed on the entire 70-mile demonstration territory, and safety verification is underway.  Accomplishing revenue service at more than 79 mph was achieved in 2001; full safety verification and validation is targeted for FY 2002, permitting speeds up to 110 mph.

North American Joint Positive Train Control Program (NAJPTC)

A comprehensive approach is underway for development and demonstration in the high-speed PTC project on a portion of the Chicago/St. Louis high-speed corridor owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.  This system is being developed under FRA sponsorship in partnership with the State of Illinois, Amtrak, and the AAR, and Transportation Technology Center, Inc administers the program for the partners.  The team of Arinc and Canac is serving as the System Engineer.

A system design and integration contract was awarded in June 2000, to the team of Lockheed Martin, Wabtec, Union Switch and Signal, and Parsons Brinckerhoff, to design and install the demonstration system in Illinois.  The project is committed to installation and full safety validation so that Illinois and Amtrak can begin revenue high-speed passenger service in 2003.

Amtrak and Union Pacific trains operating in this system will automatically determine their location and report it periodically by data radio to the Union Pacific control center in Omaha, Nebraska.  The control center computer, under dispatcher instructions, will determine safe and effective movements for each train and instruct the onboard computer by return data radio link as to its limits of operating authority.  The onboard system will inform the engineer of permitted speeds and limits of permitted operation, then oversee operation of the train and automatically bring the train to a stop if unsafe operation is attempted.  This system is intended ultimately to be capable of “flexible block” operation, in which minimum safe headways of trains will be maintained without the need for wayside signals, thereby maximizing the number of trains which can be carried over any given route.

Alaska Railroad Positive Train Control Project

For the past several years the U.S. Congress, has provided funds to FRA for a PTC project on the entire 686-mile Alaska Railroad; which, even though not a high-speed railroad, operates passenger, freight, and intermodal trains between Seward, Anchorage, and Fairbanks over difficult terrain in harsh weather conditions.  The PTC system will supplant the railroad’s current system of transmitting movement authorities by voice radio from dispatchers to train crews and track forces—the Alaska Railroad has no signals installed along its tracks.  Phase I was the design, development, and installation of a computer-aided dispatching system by GE-Harris for the railroad’s dispatching center in Anchorage.  Phase II was the installation of a digital data communications system along the entire railroad to supplement the voice radio communications system.  Phases II and I are now complete.  In phase III, the design and development of the locomotive on-board computers and track forces terminals was underway, but work has been terminated due to a contract disagreement with the vendor.

Advanced Railroad Communications System Testing

FRA has initiated an advanced railroad radio network demonstration project in the Pacific Northwest, applying digital transmission of voice communications and data between trains and dispatchers.  The project is funded through the State of Oregon to the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroads.  The advanced communications network being demonstrated will provide more efficient use of existing radio spectrum while laying the ground work for future positive train control system implementation.   The project is demonstrating a “trunked” radio network in the Portland metropolitan area.  With this system, users are not assigned a specific individual radio channel but are flexibly routed to one of a group of channels shared with many other users.  A computer control system monitors communications demand and assigns the available channels to users in priority order.  The seven channels used by the “trunked” system can serve as many users as might be served by 10 to 15 regular channels, depending on the timing of communications demand. 

The project also involves installing a radio network the full length of the rail corridor between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, British Columbia.  This network uses digital transmission techniques designated APCO25 (American Public Safety Communications Officers Project 25), developed for the public safety radio dispatch services.  Equipping Amtrak trains on the route with the new transmitters and with NDGPS-based location systems will test the characteristics of this new digital network.  Each train will transmit its location using both old and new communications methods, and the effectiveness of each method will be recorded.  The data transmitted will also be made available to a new passenger information system with displays on station platforms, providing waiting passengers with current train location information.  The new digital transmission method will ultimately be applied to transmit train control messages. FRA plans to monitor and evaluate this project through FY 2004.

FRA is also supporting efforts to establish a railroad communications testing facility at the TTC.  Initial efforts include testing and evaluation of a European digital radio technology known as GSM-R (Global System for Mobile - Railroad) cooperatively with the AAR at the TTC in FY2001 and 2002.  European railroads and suppliers for application to communications-based train control systems developed this technology.

5.2 HIGH-SPEED NON-ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY

This program element develops and demonstrates a fossil-fuel self-propelled locomotive suitable for high-speed passenger rail operations.  The criteria for success includes high acceleration rates, reasonable power levels, low forces applied to the track, high reliability, and economy of purchase, operation, and maintenance.  Only increasing available power and reducing the weight of the locomotive in comparison with existing diesel-electric designs now employed for passenger service at speeds up to 100 miles per hour can achieve success.

Why a Priority?

Emerging high-speed services will succeed only if trip times are reliably low.  Reliable low trip times can be accomplished only if average trip speeds are kept high by minimizing acceleration and braking times, thus sustaining high-speed for most of the trip.  Recovery must be very rapid from any operational slowdown, or average time suffers.  Schedules typically have little or no reserve so that each minute lost en route is likely to become one minute late on arrival.  Today’s diesel-electric passenger locomotives are derivatives of freight designs; consequently, they are relatively heavy and their diesel-electric power plants rapidly lose the ability for additional acceleration at speeds above 80 miles per hour.  This stretches acceleration times and virtually precludes speeds over 100 miles per hour.  Suitable motive power is essential for developing corridors to maintain any prospect of high-speed service.

Emerging high-speed corridors are not presently electrified, and are operating limited numbers of passenger trains on today’s longer schedules.  Electrification has very attractive service characteristics but represents an unattainable initial capital investment for most states that face an undeveloped rail market and severe budget constraints.  Self-contained motive power that provides comparable service levels without requiring the initial capital expense of electrification, is highly sought-after by the States to permit incremental service upgrades and to build a customer base.  Electrification may then be reconsidered to deliver efficiency and environmental benefits when substantial demand has been built in any given corridor.

Objectives

The objective of this program element is to develop and demonstrate a fossil-fuel self-contained locomotive which matches or exceeds the acceleration, and matches or improves upon the track loading characteristics of an AEM-7 electric locomotive as now employed on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

Expected Outcomes

The availability of demonstrated, cost-effective high-performance locomotive technology is an essential precursor for high-speed service on the emerging high-speed corridors.  The expected outcome of this program element is a fleet of such locomotives demonstrating high acceleration, high-speed, and reliable service on one or more corridors.

Technology Demonstration Project Descriptions

High-Speed Non-Electric Locomotive

The FRA has entered into a cooperative agreement with Bombardier, Inc. to develop and demonstrate a high-speed gas turbine-powered locomotive.  The locomotive is now being tested at the TTC, after which demonstrations will be conducted on corridors throughout the United States.  The locomotive is compatible with Acela Express passenger cars.  Demonstrations and evaluations are planned to take place through FY 2002 and 2003.

Figure 5.2.1. High-Speed Non-Electric

Advanced Locomotive Propulsion System (ALPS)

This project, undertaken by the University of Texas Center for Electromechanics and Honeywell International, will develop and demonstrate an energy-storage flywheel device to be used with the high-speed non-electric locomotive.  The flywheel will permit a locomotive with only one prime-mover system to accelerate for a period up to several minutes—as if it had two prime- mover units.  This additional “boost power” is a key to the necessary high acceleration rates; it improves energy efficiency by storing braking energy, and it permits “load leveling” for turbine prime-movers, which can substantially improve their operating efficiency while lowering their life cycle maintenance costs.  The turbine-driven, 3-megawatt generator and the full-scale energy storage flywheel are being assembled. The generator will be mated to a Honeywell turbine and mounted on a skid for installation in the Bombardier demonstration locomotive.  The energy storage flywheel will be mounted in an auxiliary car body for subsequent testing with the locomotive.

Turboliner Upgrade and Refurbishment

To continue the development process begun with the upgrade of one Rohr Turboliner and improve performance even further, the FRA and New York State Department of Transportation began a project in 1996 to upgrade six additional Rohr Turboliner trainsets.  The trainsets will have advanced turbine engines to permit service at speeds up to 125 miles per hour and with enhanced acceleration capability.  The trainsets, upgraded by Super Steel Schenectady Inc., are designated the RTL-3 and should go into demonstration service in 2002.  FRA plans to monitor and evaluate their performance through 2003.

5.3 HIGH-SPEED GRADE CROSSING PROTECTION

This program element supports and evaluates grade crossing safety demonstration projects.^[1] Funding to demonstrate new concepts for improving safety at grade crossings is provided through the Next Generation program, the Transportation Research Board IDEA Program (see Appendix B), and Section 1103 of TEA-21.  Current projects for which support is being provided include: the Connecticut four-quadrant gate with obstacle detection system, other four-quadrant gate projects in Florida, Indiana, and North Carolina; North Carolina’s Sealed Corridor Initiative; the Vehicle Proximity Alert System; and the locked gate at private crossings in New York and Oregon.  Information on the latter two projects is provided in Section 4.7 .

Technology Demonstration Project Description s

Four-Quadrant Gate with Obstruction Detection

The state of Connecticut received a grant to demonstrate a four-quadrant gate with obstruction detection, notification to the locomotive engineer, and positive train control system in adequate time for the train to be stopped.  As a train enters the approach circuit, the grade crossing warning systems are activated and the four gates are lowered simultaneously.  Inductive loops within the gated area can detect vehicles weighing 500 pounds or more, and if detected the appropriate exit gate remains up or ascends to allow the vehicle to exit.  Concurrently, a signal is sent to the locomotive engineer that a brake application should be made.  Should the vehicle exit the crossing area prior to the train’s arrival, a clearance signal is sent to the engineer and the train can resume speed; but, if not, the train can be safely brought to a stop.  This system will be installed at seven additional locations on the NEC.  The actual demonstration is complete, but data collection continues at the site.

Michigan ITCS Demonstration

This demonstration includes the upgrade of 57 public grade crossings to provide constant warning times and improvement or elimination of 21 private grade crossings.

North Carolina’s “Sealed Corridor” Initiative

The Sealed Corridor Initiative addresses the safety needs of each crossing on a case-by-case basis along a 92-mile segment between Charlotte and Greensboro on North Carolina’s high-speed rail corridor.  FRA grants are providing the funding for the installation of innovative highway-rail crossing devices such as median barriers, articulated gates, long gate arms, four-quadrant gates at crossings, and closing of redundant crossings.  Other elements of the initiative include traffic separation studies to consolidate crossings, video enforcement, video monitoring, data collection, studies of driver behavior and the demographics of violators, innovative warning devices, and use of improved signs at private crossings.  A program evaluation conducted by FRA in calendar year 2001 as requested by Congress shows that five lives have already been saved by the enhanced systems installed on this corridor.  The FRA will continue to monitor this project and work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to develop a methodology to be used in other developing high-speed rail corridors.

Figure 5.3.1. Four Quadrant Gates on the North Carolina Sealed Corridor

5.4 HIGH-SPEED TRACK AND STRUCTURES TECHNOLOGY

First introduced in 1997, this program element addresses issues associated with route capacity limitations of existing corridor infrastructure by seeking out and demonstrating innovative, more cost-effective construction methods to construct new track and structures. It also seeks out and demonstrates components suitable simultaneously for comfortable, high-speed passenger operations and durable enough for frequent, heavy axle load freight operations.

Why a Priority?

Since deregulation, the freight railroad industry in the United States has undergone a renaissance.  This means that rail corridors that once had excess capacity are now at operating limits and are suffering marked congestion.  Introduction of new high-speed services on such corridors will be accomplished only if existing capacity can be cost-effectively increased, either by higher speeds, other improvements in operating methods, or by construction of new infrastructure.  Each of these mitigation methods can represent a substantial part of the needed investment for public entities proposing to implement high-speed service.  In the component arena, infrastructure elements must be capable of meeting the dual criteria imposed by two very different types of service.

Objectives

This program element demonstrates cost-effective methods and technologies for creating new route capacity on existing corridors, and identifying and demonstrating components suitable for the demands of both high-speed passenger service and heavy freight service operating on the same track structures.  High-speed passenger service requires track and structures finely tuned and carefully maintained to exacting tolerances.  Heavy freight service requires extremely strong and durable components to withstand high impact loads and rapid wear. 

Expected Outcomes

This program element will provide validated new technology to permit States and their partners to afford infrastructure investments for adequate route capacity, with satisfactory performance, to implement high-speed passenger service on already-congested freight corridors.

Technology Demonstration Project Descriptions

Infrastructure Upgrade on the Pacific Northwest Corridor

Track, structures, and grade crossings will be upgraded to permit higher speed operations between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.

Subgrade Mitigation Techniques

This project will demonstrate advanced techniques to resolve longstanding subgrade problems that degrade ride quality and threaten the operational safety of high-speed track, and which cause excessive maintenance requirements and expense.  Innovative mitigation techniques were applied to a test zone on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) near Boston in early 2000, an assessment is currently underway.

Improved Track Performance at Reduced Maintenance Expense Using Advanced Inspection Data

This project will demonstrate a technique for applying precision maintenance methods based on quantified track gauge strength information newly available from Gage Restraint Measurement Systems now being deployed by FRA and railroads.  The new methods are targeted at permitting high-speed passenger operation and heavy axle-load freight operation on existing track at reasonable maintenance expense.

Increase Operating Speeds while Improving Ride Quality Over Bridges

Locations where the track structural stiffness changes; such as highway grade crossings and railroad bridge ends, are notorious as chronic sources of track-train impact forces, poor ride quality—sometimes verging on safety hazards—and requiring excessive maintenance.  This project will develop techniques to improve ride quality and increase permissible operating speed over bridges.