VT NH

MASSACHUSETTS

CONNECTICUT

Greenfield

NorthamptonAmherst

Springfield

HartfordNew Britain

New Haven

Rail Users’ Network (RUN)Annual Meeting & Public ForumOctober 13, 2018 – Springfield, Massachusetts

Leveraging Rail Assets and Connections to Move the Knowledge Corridor’s Economy

New England Regional RailVision (circa 2009-10)

ARRA HSIPR Funding to Support the

Passenger Rail Vision

2018 Passenger Rail Update 1

The Pioneer Valley Economic Region – Circa 1994

2018 Passenger Rail Update 2

The New Cross Border Regional Geography andEconomic Reality

2018 Passenger Rail Update 3

• Restored Intercity Passenger Rail Service to the Connecticut River Main Line

• Provides Vermonter intercity service only at present

• Reduced North-South travel time

• Substantially improved on-time performance, and

• Re-connected the Pioneer Valley’s largest population centers

Knowledge Corridor Project Outcomes

2018 Passenger Rail Update 4

Amtrak’s Vermonter runs from Washington DC to Albans, VT

2018 Passenger Rail Update 5

NOTE: Springfield Union Station & Holyoke rail platform are funded separately.

Knowledge Corridor Project Components$72.8 million awarded by ARRA Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program plus an additional $57 million investment by MassDOT

Project includes a bicycle/pedestrian underpass in Northampton, (under construction)

Rail Improvements included:oTrack

•New rail on 47.8 track miles of mainline & 2.5 track-miles of double track•Rehabilitation of 5.7 track-miles of sidetrack

oImprovement to 24 At-Grade CrossingsoSignal System ImprovementsoInspection, Rating & Repairs of BridgesoPassenger Platforms in Northampton and Greenfield (to be expanded)

2018 Passenger Rail Update 6

Options for ExpandedKnowledge Corridor Rail Service

There Were 3 Concept Plans for Providing Enhanced Service

Which Included:Option 1 – Implement a new Shuttle

between Springfield and Greenfield

Option 2 – Extension of the existing Amtrak New Haven –Springfield shuttle from Springfield to Greenfield using former MBTA equipment

Option 3 – Extension of the existing Amtrak New Haven –Springfield shuttle from Springfield to Greenfield using Amtrak equipment

2018 Passenger Rail Update 7

New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program

Schedule Concept for Expanded Knowledge CorridorPassenger Rail Service

Northbound VermonterService

New ServiceP.M.

New ServiceP.M.

Springfield 3:15 p.m. 6:52 p.m. 8:52 p.m.

Holyoke 3:41 7:03 9:07

Northampton 3:57 7:18 9:33

Springfield 4:22 7:47 10:02

Southbound New ServiceAM

New ServiceAM

VermonterService

Greenfield 6:00 a.m. 8:04 a.m. 1:36 p.m.

Northampton 6:30 8:33 2:01

Holyoke 6:48 8:48 2:16

Springfield 7:08 9:10 2:35

2018 Passenger Rail Update 8

2018 Passenger Rail Update 9

Vermonter Ridership in the Knowledge CorridorIS STRONG!

Federal Fiscal Year 2015 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Total Amherst (till 12/28) AMM 1,443 1,549 1,216 - - - - - - - - - 4,208 Greenfield GFD - - - 692 489 488 626 525 528 638 647 458 5,091 Northampton NHT - - - 1,347 1,277 1,545 1,522 1,323 1,086 1,085 1,373 1,068 11,626 Holyoke (start 8/27) HLK - - - - - - - - - - 23 73 96

Total 1,443 1,549 1,216 2,039 1,766 2,033 2,148 1,848 1,614 1,723 2,043 1,599 21,021 49%

Federal Fiscal Year 2016 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Total Greenfield GFD 471 508 555 382 358 403 525 506 490 599 708 415 5,920 Northampton NHT 1,423 1,602 1,436 1,188 1,144 1,541 1,531 1,631 1,427 1,624 1,519 1,266 17,332 Holyoke HLK 120 73 89 68 56 118 89 86 106 160 133 105 1,203

Total 2,014 2,183 2,080 1,638 1,558 2,062 2,145 2,223 2,023 2,383 2,360 1,786 24,455 Year over year increase. 571 634 864 (401) (208) 29 (3) 375 409 660 317 187 3,434

40% 41% 71% -20% -12% 1% 0% 20% 25% 38% 16% 12% 14%

Federal Fiscal Year 2017 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep YTD Total Greenfield GFD 538 434 495 497 454 460 511 548 3,937 Northampton NHT 1,941 1,866 1,654 1,521 1,429 1,593 1,785 1,769 13,558 Holyoke HLK 160 99 81 108 122 107 179 126 982

Total 2,639 2,399 2,230 2,126 2,005 2,160 2,475 2,443 18,477 Year over year increase. 625 216 150 488 447 98 330 220 2,354

31% 10% 7% 30% 29% 5% 15% 10% 0% 0% 0% 0% 17%

THANK YOU

Follow-up Meeting Questions & Comments to:

Tim Brennan, Executive DirectorPioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)

tbrennan@pvpc.orgTel. 413-781-6045

2018 Passenger Rail Update 10