NORFOLK, Va. -- Norfolk Southern Corp. projects the cost of putting conventional passenger rail on its freight tracks between Petersburg and Norfolk at $75 million, far less than the state's estimate, The Virginian-Pilot reported.
State estimates released in July show that slightly faster trains, 90-110 mph versus 79 mph, in the same corridor would cost $262 million.
Chip Badger, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation director, said the state numbers include passenger stations and other costs not counted in Norfolk Southern's estimate. Pricing details will not be released for possibly several weeks, he said.
High-speed rail has become a hot topic in Hampton Roads with the impending release of a state study into the costs and ridership of bringing trains to the area and with the Obama administration's $8 billion in federal stimulus money set aside to build a high-speed train network.
The state is seeking stimulus money to build higher-speed rail between Washington and Richmond and between Richmond and Hampton Roads. The projects are among $102 billion worth of projects nationally vying for the federal money.
Deborah H. Butler, the railroad's executive vice president of planning and chief information officer, told a gathering of the Urban Land Institute on Wednesday that the $75 million for improving the corridor that roughly parallels U.S. 460 is about half the company's early estimate.
Butler said the time savings of 79 mph trains versus 90 mph trains on that stretch is less than five minutes. At 110 mph, it's 11 minutes.
Trains that run at up to 90 mph are considered conventional service, and anything faster is generally referred to as high speed. However, federal definitions indicate higher-speed, or emerging high-speed, trains run between 90 mph and 110 mph. High-speed rail runs above 110 mph.
Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim, who advocat es for South Hampton Roads high-speed rail, said the price difference between conventional and higher speed "doesn't sound very effective" when considering the time savings.
Still, he said Norfolk Southern's lower cost estimates are encouraging.
Butler said Norfolk Southern supports sharing its railroad right of way with passenger trains. However, the Norfolk-based company would help pay for the improvements only if its freight hauling service stood to benefit.
In the Petersburg-Norfolk corridor, Butler said, "we have all the capacity we need" and therefore the company would not contribute financially.
Badger said a state study of the costs and ridership for bringing passenger rail and high-speed rail to Hampton Roads could be ready for release shortly. It's under review by the Federal Railroad Administration. Once the report is made public, he said, the state will examine Norfolk Southern's numbers and compare them to the state's.
Badger said five options were studied, with price tags ranging from $330 million to $844 million. In July, Badger said the state study will show the Norfolk --Petersburg route extending all the way to Richmond at a cost of $412 million. Other options include upgrading the current Amtrak service between Richmond and Newport News.
A rift has developed in the region over whether the faster trains should come south of the James River into South Hampton Roads or north of the river on the Peninsula.
The heads of the seven Southside cities and counties agreed to push for a route south of the James River. Virginians for High Speed Rail, the state's leading rail advocacy group, supports expanding higher-speed service to both sides.
Daniel Plaugher, executive director of Virginians for High Speed Rail, said the region will need to speak with one voice or else jeopardize funding. He said Federal Railroad Administration officials "stated clearly they are not going to get in the middle of a regional fight."
He added, "If Hampton Roads does not come together, you will get left out."
(The preceding article by Debbie Messina was published September 10, 2009, by The Virginian-Pilot.)
