How much does a mile of track cost ?

[Anonymous]

To construct new tracks from barren ground and to
reconstruct tracks fron used rail lines. Does it vary by the area of the country ? For example,
Sierra Nevada mountains or flat Kansas.

[JoeKoh]

Start with 1 million dollars.Any mountains,bridges,curves,sidings,switches etc are extra.I'll ask at work how much it was for a new viaduct near my work place and let you know.
have a great day
Joe

[Anonymous]

The state of Texas Department of Transportation says high speed double track electrified rail is $5 million per mile. However, this figure is low in the Trans Texas Corridor plan because the costs of right of way plus the costs of overpasses and underpasses are included with the costs of turnpikes.....

For a better view of the costs of high speed double track, the state if Florida in its high speed rail plan only..... is $9 million per mile, electrified is $12 million per mile. This includes the costs of right of way plus the costs of overpasses and underpasses.....

Florida is more realistic for double track high speed rail. Texas' numbers are less because its plan includes some of the same costs with the turnpikes....

Dallas Area Rapid Transit, DART, has recently built close to 90 miles of double track electrified light rail at $14 million per mile. After the starter lines were built, with a 4 mile tunnel under a freeway, a new bridge over the Trinity River, and a downtown street of a mile rebuilt into a mall, at 42 miles DART averaged $20 million per mile. Surely the costs of double track electrified high speed rail will be cheaper in rural areas than in an urban area.

Therefore, Florida's FY 2002 numbers looks very accurate...

Obviously, single freight sslow track will costs much less.

See these web sites:

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/ttc/ttc_home.htm

http://www.floridahighspeedrail.org/home.jsp

Keep in mind that the Trans Texas Corridors plan also includes the costs of a four lane turnpike at $7 million per mile, plus grade separation at $5 million per mile, plus interchanges at $3 million per mile. Also, commuter and freight 4 tracks is $7 million per mile, and utilities is $3.6 million per mile (pipes and power lines). The 4,000 mile plan will run $125 billion, plus the right of way of $12-38 billion, and miscellaneous expenses of $8-20 billion. The final costs is $145-183 billion... The state of Texas spends $25 billion annually on highways today. This plan is for the next 50 years.....

The Florida figures include the costs of purchasing the trainsets and stations.

If you study both web sites, you will come to the conclusion that both states have an idea how much high speed rail will costs. Texas' DOT has included the costs of every bridge, overpass and underpass, and interchanges of different types.....

[Anonymous]

I was told by MOW that CTC is 1 mil. per mile, I would imagine that geography adds to this price considerably.

[Anonymous]

Wow! At these cost Im going to shut up about paying $50 for track on my Ho or Lionel tracks!
Good Info!! Keep It Up!

Icemanmike2- Milwaukee

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much for the detailed information.
In Texas and Florida, does the railroad pay a percentage of that cost ?

[Anonymous]

In Texas, with the Trans Texas Corridors plan, the state will build and then charge a toll for autos, trucks, and trains. By selling bonds, and having an authority in place, eventually over a period of time, the tolls will pay off the costs of building the turnpike, and new tracks....

The basic idea is to end the railroad monopolies, and open up the tracks for all comers, similar to a turnpike.....

The railroad tracks that are already in place in Texas are on right of ways 100 years old. Mostly single track, not necessarily going to the major industrial areas developing in the suburbs.

Keep in mind this is a fifty year plan, but two of the corridors have been given priority status: the route from El Paso thru Houston to Beaumont, and the route from the Mexican border thru San Antonio, Austin, Waco, and Dallas to the Oklahoma border paralleling I-35 and I-10.

Since Texas is a fast growing state, expecting to double its population in 20-30 years, the current infrastructure will be overwhelmed....

In fact, Union Pacific blocked the planned Amtrak move of the Sunset Limited thru Abilene and Midland along I-20 because they want to reserve all the slots for themselves. Union Pacific also blocked the planned Amtrak move of starting a Crescent service from Meridan, MS to Dallas, TX too for the same reasons. Frankly, UP would like to see Amtrak give up in Texas. But as I said before, no Amtrak in Texas means no Amtrak anywhere!