DART Silver Line Project

[CMStPnP]

Finally, looks like real construction is going to begin with the arrival of the first HERZOG welded rail laying train, shown here being delivered by UP?   The line will be double tracked and follow the former Cotton Belt ROW from Plano, TX to about Grapevine, TX then branch to the DFW Airport Terminal.   The UP train is from a mill in Northern Indiana.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPx0U-m6tMA

Map:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80-wz7d_SDk

 

[Overmod]

Presumably this butt-ends with the existing Red and Orange lines in Plano, and that is going to pose some interesting implications for operations between Plano and Dallas 'proper' if there are going to be 'train to the plane' limited-stop expresses.

Inrerestingly I was in Plano only a few months ago and there was no sign of even preliminary grading on the old single-track portion of ROW beyond the holdover tracks.  Presumably that is not where this construction is commencing...

If this is to the standards of the already-built part of this system the quoted price is cheap.

[blue streak 1]

Find it interesting that there is an extra guard at the grade crossing.  Would expect that maybe DART wants to make sure rail is not damaged by an errant truck compromising all the sticks of rail ?

[CMStPnP]

Overmod

Inrerestingly I was in Plano only a few months ago and there was no sign of even preliminary grading on the old single-track portion of ROW beyond the holdover tracks.  Presumably that is not where this construction is commencing...

HERZOG stores construction materials at a yard alongside the Trinity Railway Express line In Irving and I suspect this train is arriving there I believe it is the former junction between the FRISCO and Rock Island lines West of Union Station there is a WYE there and a yard.

Though I would guess the laying of rail is from Plano to the Airport vs the other way around.   Have no clue which end they are going to start at.

[CMStPnP]

Overmod

Presumably this butt-ends with the existing Red and Orange lines in Plano, and that is going to pose some interesting implications for operations between Plano and Dallas 'proper' if there are going to be 'train to the plane' limited-stop expresses.

BTW, they are not even half done with their rail line plan expansion.   In their Mobility 2045 plan they envision an RTA formed outside of DART to run trains up the ex-FRISCO from Dallas area to FRISCO proper,  As well as Trains from Plano North via Allen to McKinney and points North.    Three more radial lines out of Fort Worth.     They also want a HSR connector between Dallas and Fort Worth beyond the existing TRE line in which the alignment would run roughly along UP RR in the South.    They figure, roughly $2-3 Billion per rail line excluding the HSR connector.    HSR connector I believe is based on if the Dallas to Houston HSR gets built.    Most of this is laid out in the Mobility 2045 program by NTCOG (North Texas Council of Governments).    Last update I can see via the Internet was June 2018.    Click on TRANSIT CORRIDOR PROJECT MAP link below.....thats their current master plan for rail transit.

https://www.nctcog.org/nctcg/media/Transportation/DocsMaps/Plan/MTP/18JUNE2018-MAP-PKT.pdf

 

 

[Overmod]

CMStPnP

Though I would guess the laying of rail is from Plano to the Airport vs the other way around.   Have no clue which end they are going to start at.

If I were doing this ... and at the point of accepting actual rail in trainloads ... I'd be proceeding much as California has and building out the easiest sections first, perhaps those with minimal crossings.  On the other hand, if the civil engineering is like that on the Red/Orange lines out of Plano, the critical path to tracklaying would clearly involve building a number of heroic overbridges, perhaps a whole elevated structure near the airport area, and we'd have evidence of work on that scale.

For all I know they started grading EOT in Plano the day after I left! 

(Perhaps Herzog got a really good price on rail from something delayed or canceled by COVID-19 and is stockpiling their bargain?...)

[JPS1]

According to DART’s 2020 Business Plan, the estimated cost of the Silver Line Corridor Project is $1,243,000,000.  Of this amount $908,000,000 or 73 percent will be funded by Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing debt.  The difference will be closed by a Federal Grant of $139,330,000 and Funding Partners/Local of $195,670,000.

 

The estimated cost of the Silver Line works out to be approximately $47 million per mile.  Whether this number is achievable remains to be seen. 

 

It is not clear whether the estimated cost of the project includes the equipment costs or the right-of-way costs.  Once it is ready for operation, as is true for all of DART’s operations, the Silver Line will require a substantial operating subsidy.  In FY18, DART’s farebox recover for its light rail system was 17.7 percent. 

 

The Green Line, excluding the cost of the segment from West End to Victory Station, cost $1.8 billion or $66 million per mile in 2006 dollars.  It is 26.5 miles in length, which is approximately the same length as the Silver Line.  The Orange Line to DFW, from the point where it diverges from the Green Line, cost $85 million per mile in 2010 dollars.  Both lines are electrified, which means lots of poles and wires, which will not be a cost factor for the Silver Line. 

[CMStPnP]

JPS1

which will not be a cost factor for the Silver Line. 

I believe also parts of the Silver line still sees freight service which also adds revenue to the mix.   Same is true of TEX RAIL.   There is a dual benefit here of bringing the tracks up to a higher level of maintenence also has a spillover effect on efficiency of freight operations that exist on both lines.    I think the Addison airport still has an active spur for aircraft fuel if I am not mistaken as well.    Perhaps the faster speed and greater efficiency of freight service will mean increased frieght traffic for both lines?    Time will tell I guess.

[JPS1]

CMStPnP

I believe also parts of the Silver line still sees freight service which also adds revenue to the mix.   Same is true of TEX RAIL. ......I think the Addison airport still has an active spur for aircraft fuel if I am not mistaken as well.   

There is still some freight traffic between Carrollton and the Inwood Road junction.  I don’t believe there is much east of there; I am not sure how much freight traffic moves along the line west of Carrollton.

 

I was a part time flight instructor at Addison for several years in the 80s.  Our fuel came by truck; I don’t remember any being delivered by rail. 

[blue streak 1]

JPS1

 

I was a part time flight instructor at Addison for several years in the 80s.  Our fuel came by truck; I don’t remember any being delivered by rail. 

 

 

Was that 100 LL?  If so we get ours directly from Louisana by a small truck.  No pipeline.

Jet A-1 by truck from the pipeline.

[CMStPnP]

JPS1

I don’t remember any being delivered by rail. 

My hobby shop is over there (heh-heh).    The siding looked used to me and had a somewhat shiny rail head last time a looked......which I will admit was more than two years ago.   Might have changed.

[CMStPnP]

blue streak 1

Was that 100 LL?  If so we get ours directly from Louisana by a small truck.  No pipeline. Jet A-1 by truck from the pipeline.

Addison has a large  business jet fleet, it's not commercial and has 3-4 business jets for Frito-Lay (Pepsico),  A couple of others.   Probably UP RR has at least one plane there since Dallas is their Office HQ I heard.