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If Caltrain did a symbolic disconnect, cut off several feet from the track, put up a barrier, a few days work to do and undo. from the national rail network, wo

by mahyarm 15y ago

If Caltrain did a symbolic disconnect, cut off several feet from the track, put up a barrier, a few days work to do and undo. from the national rail network, would they still be subject to the FRA?

kens 15y ago
The article says there's "zero possibility of a passenger train colliding with a freight train" because "there are virtually no freight trains running on the Caltrain line". However, since I had to wait for a freight train last week at the Redwood City Caltrain crossing (and I hardly ever use a grade crossing), I conclude that this article is making stuff up.
- kposehn 15y ago
  Yes, this article is remarkably inaccurate.
_delirium 15y ago
In Caltrain's case, they actually got an interesting waiver that allows them to time-segregate the network, where it's part of the national rail network (and can accept freight traffic) at night, but cut off from it (with no freight traffic, and interlocks making sure it's disconnected) during the daytime. In that setup, it would have permission to run non-FRA passenger-rail equipment: http://wilshirevermont.com/2010/05/31/caltrains-amazing-waiver-with-the-fra/ http://wilshirevermont.com/2010/05/31/caltrains-amazing-waiv... However I believe implementation of this is on hold, because they want to coordinate any upgrades with the HSR project. They've also discussed completely cutting it off from the national rail network at times. Unlike in many places, Caltrain actually owns the rails (rather than a freight network owning them), so that would be possible. There's strong lobbying against it from various landowners along the line, though; even though the line doesn't get a lot of freight usage, the possibility to receive at least an occasional freight shipment increases the value of the land.
- kinofcain 15y ago
  Yes Caltrain (actually the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board that owns the track) has a clause in their contract from when they bought the line from Union Pacific that states they can start freight abandonment proceedings if they make a significant change to the line. It's generally believed that was put in there in case they wanted to convert the line to BART, but in theory it could be brought into play for a Caltrain electrification or the HSR project. Caltrain has so far, however, refused to go down that route. Apparently the one freight train per day is too much to lose.

by mahyarm 15y ago

If Caltrain did a symbolic disconnect, cut off several feet from the track, put up a barrier, a few days work to do and undo. from the national rail network, would they still be subject to the FRA?

kens 15y ago

The article says there's "zero possibility of a passenger train colliding with a freight train" because "there are virtually no freight trains running on the Caltrain line". However, since I had to wait for a freight train last week at the Redwood City Caltrain crossing (and I hardly ever use a grade crossing), I conclude that this article is making stuff up.

kposehn 15y ago
Yes, this article is remarkably inaccurate.

_delirium 15y ago

In Caltrain's case, they actually got an interesting waiver that allows them to time-segregate the network, where it's part of the national rail network (and can accept freight traffic) at night, but cut off from it (with no freight traffic, and interlocks making sure it's disconnected) during the daytime. In that setup, it would have permission to run non-FRA passenger-rail equipment: http://wilshirevermont.com/2010/05/31/caltrains-amazing-waiver-with-the-fra/ http://wilshirevermont.com/2010/05/31/caltrains-amazing-waiv... However I believe implementation of this is on hold, because they want to coordinate any upgrades with the HSR project. They've also discussed completely cutting it off from the national rail network at times. Unlike in many places, Caltrain actually owns the rails (rather than a freight network owning them), so that would be possible. There's strong lobbying against it from various landowners along the line, though; even though the line doesn't get a lot of freight usage, the possibility to receive at least an occasional freight shipment increases the value of the land.

kinofcain 15y ago
Yes Caltrain (actually the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board that owns the track) has a clause in their contract from when they bought the line from Union Pacific that states they can start freight abandonment proceedings if they make a significant change to the line. It's generally believed that was put in there in case they wanted to convert the line to BART, but in theory it could be brought into play for a Caltrain electrification or the HSR project. Caltrain has so far, however, refused to go down that route. Apparently the one freight train per day is too much to lose.