ThirdRail7 wrote:
Will this continue when the new funding plans kick in? Did we ever get a real answer on how much VA would have to pay for this BOS-NPN under the new funding mandate?
The answers can be found in the Virginia DRPT budget documents which are publicly available.
The amounts that Virginia DRPT has allocated for the operating subsidy and capital charges for FY13 and projected out to FY18 are listed in the FY13 Six Year projection budget. It has the budget breakdown listings for all the rail program expenditures and can be found on the Virginia DRPT Finance page at
http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/about/Finance.aspx. Click on the FY2013 - Revised listing under DRPT Six Year Improvement Plans. Pages 58 to 64 have the passenger and freight rail projected expenditures with pg 61 listing the projected operating subsidies. Worth a read for those interesting in seeing just how much funding Virginia is providing for freight and passenger rail projects. Very modest compared to roads & highways, but quite respectable compared to most states.
Even if the service runs at a net operating profit, there should be a subsidy reserve amount in place so if there is a sudden fall-off in ridership due to a recession or unexpected problems, the account can be tapped to keep the train running for a while. Anyway, the amount set aside for Norfolk in FY14 is $233K, $486K in FY15. For Lynchburg, $169K for Fy14, $691K for FY15. There is a PRIIA requirements line for what appears to be all the trains of $3.6 million for FY14 and $4.9 million for FY15. There is also a Capital Equipment Contribution of $1.1 million for FY14 and $3 million for FY15. Not really costing VA much to support the VA Regionals.
If the Virginia Regionals don't use the budgeted subsidy allocation, I hope that the funds can either be carried forward into the next year to free up funds or re-allocated for capital improvement projects such as extending service to Roanoke. My guess is that the Capital Equipment Contribution has to be paid regardless of operating surplus, but combined with the other eastern states, it could provide Amtrak with a income stream to help pay for the purchase of Amfleet replacements.
The document shows that VA is spending $114 million for the Norfolk extension and should have $22 million in FY14 and $31 million in FY15 allocated for Capacity Improvements for Expanded Intercity Rail. Might be used for CSX upgrades to get to 3 daily trains to Norfolk.
BTW, page 62 shows the funds allocated to Buckingham Branch Railroad under the Shortline preservation program with decent sized amounts going to the Washington and North Mountain subdivisions which the Cardinal runs over. For all the fuss raised in the railroad forums over the Cardinal and the BBRR tracks, VA is providing significant funding to get the tracks into better condition.
