The proposed schedule does require some improvements to existing conditions to make the 25 minute running time possible. Some changes in train speed limits can be made largely as administrative actions, although some work may have to be done on crossing signal circuits as a result. It is also proposed to make some direct improvements to certain grade crossings. All of these improvements will result in permanent benefits to public safety as well as to operational efficiency of existing and continuing freight and Amtrak services.
Speed Limits. Train Traffic Control. Stations. Grade Crossings.
Certain improvements to train speed limits need to be undertaken in the following areas. It is believed that these can be made without (significant) track or signal improvements (other than grade crossing retiming).
The area of concern here is defined by the following speed restrictions found in the railroad timetables:
PHOENIX
Existing Restrictions Between Mileposts, Existing Psgr-Freight
906.0 and 906.8, 15-15
906.8 and 907.9, 20-20
907.9 and 910.2, 30-30
Specifically, the area in need of improvement begins at milepost 906.0 at Union Station. The existing 15MPH speed limit extends from that point eastward presumably through the two switches at the west end of Phoenix Yard at approximately 906.8. The 20MPH restriction would then apply from that point east to MP 907.9, where the 30MPH restriction begins. That location is approximately the east end (East Lead) of Phoenix Yard. The 30MPH restriction then continues eastward to approximately 36th Street.
The proposed speeds are summarized in the following table:
PHOENIX
Existing Restrictions Between Mileposts, Existing Psgr-Freight, Proposed Psgr-Freight
906.0 and 906.8, 15-15, 20-15
906.8 and 907.9, 20-20, 60-30
907.9 and 910.2, 30-30, 60-40
Since the speed on the passenger main is 15MPH for all trains, exceeding the 10MPH Class 1 restriction for freight trains, the track must therefore be Class 2 which will allow 30MPH passenger train operation. However, as noted above, the governing factor in this area is apparently the turnouts (switches) at each end of the station track and possibly the large number of grade crossings as well (these are dealt with in the next section.) Consequently, a large speed increase is not proposed for this area, as replacement of the turnouts with ones which could handle higher speeds could be rather expensive.
Further, since the train will be stopping here anyway (at the Arena station), a large increase would not be helpful to the schedule, due to acceleration and deceleration times. Nevertheless, a modest increase is proposed for passenger trains; since the speed dates back several decades without having been altered, and since the track was recently reconstructed with welded rail, it is assumed that modern equipment and materials can handle some improvement.
Here the restrictions are:
TEMPE
Existing Restrictions Mileposts, Existing Passenger, Existing Freight
913.6 to 915.3, 20MPH, 20MPH
915.3 to 916.5, 30MPH, 30MPH
The restrictions in Tempe are apparently due to a city ordinance dating to the days of steam locomotives; there is no actual need for such slow speeds with today's advanced grade crossing warning systems. Indeed, with these speeds, automobile and pedestrian traffic is only held up needlessly, resulting in more congestion and a subsequent increase in tailpipe emissions. Furthermore, many years of experience with similar speed restrictions around the country (which were also put in place because of a perceived safety problem) have shown that lower train speeds actually cause more accidents, due to the lulling of drivers and pedestrians into a false sense of security.
35 MPH would seem to be an appropriate speed for the north-south portion of the track paralleling Mill Ave., due to the curves at each end. East of the Tempe Junction Curve (east of Mill Ave.), about milepost 915.5 or 6, the speed should increase immediately to 60 MPH(passenger)-40 MPH (freight). The City needs to repeal the appropriate ordinance followed by Southern Pacific changing its timetable speeds to something more appropriate based on modern engineering principles, which our suggestions should fit.
These changes are summarized in the following table.
TEMPE Restrictions (Passenger - Freight)
Between Mileposts, Existing, Proposed
913.6 and 913.9, 20-20, 25-25 (due to curve)
913.9 and 913.5, 20-20, 35-30
915.5 and 916.5, 30-20, 60-40
This will probably require modifications to crossing controllers and/or circuitry at 1st St., 5th St., University Dr., 9th St., 10th St., 13th St., College Ave., and Rural Road (see also Grade Crossing section below for possible alternative solution to 1st St. and 9th St.).
The final 0.9 miles into the Mesa City Center Station are under a 25MPH restriction which is of unknown origin, other than that the "Broadway Curve" at Broadway Road and Center Street is a 25MPH curve. The two curves west of the Mesa station are larger radii and would be suitable for over 30MPH even if they have no superelevation. That the 25MPH speed applies to freight trains indicates that the track is maintained to at least Class 2 and therefore suitable for 30MPH passenger train operations.
The railroad timetable shows the restriction as follows:
MESA
Existing Restrictions: Mileposts, Existing Passenger, Existing Freight
920.8 to 922.0, 25 MPH, 25 MPH
The proposed modified speed restriction is summarized in the following tables:
Between Mileposts, Restrictions, Passenger-Freight Existing, Proposed
If restriction is strictly track condition based:
920.8 and 921.8, 25-25, 30-25
921.8 and 922.0, 25-25, 25-25 (due to curve)If restriction is not track condition based:
920.8 and 921.8, 25-25, 35-25
921.8 and 922.0, 25-25, 25-25
The demonstration train would not operate east of Milepost 921.8 so the 25MPH curve restriction would not apply to it. However, this restriction would have to be maintained for other trains.
Existing train control is by Direct Traffic Control (DTC), outside of yard limits. Trains are given verbal permission and instructions to proceed, where to take a siding, etc. via radio from a dispatcher located in Roseville, CA. Instructions to occupy main track outside yard limits are based on pre-defined, named, segments of track called "blocks." It would be beneficial to train traffic flow, particularly when coordinating freight and passenger train movements simultaneously, to establish a new DTC Block from the East Yard Limits Phoenix to the West End Tempe Siding.
It might also be helpful to end the Mesa Block at McQueen Junction, since the passenger trains will be using a tiny portion of the Mesa Block at the west end.
These improvements are shown in the following table:
Mileposts, Block Name
to 909.1: Yard Limits
921.0 to 909.1: Tempe
936.7 to 921.0: Mesa
Mileposts, Block Name
to 909.1: Yard Limits
914.3 to 909.1: Kendall*
921.0 to 914.3: Tempe
923.8 to 921.0: Mesa
936.7 to 923.8: McQueen*
*Suggested Names.
Phoenix Union Station requires installation of a second track to be used by the demonstration train. There will be times when both the demo train and the Sunset Limited will be in the station at the same time. It is recommended that the new track be routed along the old track #5 route, to the far side of the old Platform 4/5. For reference purposes, the existing track is in the old Track #3 location. The existing "House Track" is too short to be used for this operation.
Most of Platform 4/5 still exists but is badly broken up. To achieve the desired eight inch height above-top-of-rail (ATR) a timber platform could be constructed over the old concrete. The new platform would need to be only 450 feet long (shorter if it can be determined definitely beforehand that the train lengths will be shorter than five cars). The original platform was much longer. About 150 to 200 feet of the west end of the old platform where it narrowed down to less than eight feet can be removed, and patrons should be discouraged from walking past that end of the platform to 3rd. Ave. A ramp down to the track height and an asphalt pedestrian crossing would need to be constructed from platform 4/5 across the existing station track to the existing platform. Street lighting of the type recently installed along the existing platform should be installed along the new platform as well.
The new track should be a "dead-end" spur approximately 600 feet in length. The turnout should be located west of the 3rd Ave. crossing to avoid the need to reconstruct the crossing.
A small station constructed between 3rd and 5th Streets consisting of a timber platform and lighting will serve the Civic Plaza and Arena and nearby parking. This will allow access to events at these locations. The parking nearby can be used for shuttle parking to events in Tempe. Bus stops will be needed nearby for the downtown shuttle.
Another simple station located next to Allied Signal on Air Lane just west of 36th St., approximately where the Hattie B. stopped. Provision will need to be made for bus stops nearby, probably on Air Lane. A timber platform which will bridge the drainage ditch and lighting will be needed.
This will use the existing station. A temporary parking lot might be developed across from the platform on vacant land, which, as has recently been discovered, may actually be State Trust Land. The existing platform is both too short for the Sunset Limited (requiring double stops) and too low. A platform extension can be constructed to the south extending to the 5th Street grade crossing, at the proper 8" ATR, then used temporarily as a short platform while the present platform is reconstructed to bring it up to 8" ATR.
A temporary parking lot can be constructed an state land (the U of A Experimental Farm). Access will be needed to Alma School Road and Main Street. As an alternative, there is vacant private land on the south side of the track with access to Broadway Road.
The station will require a timber platform and lighting. The temporary parking area and access roads will need grading, gravel or ABC, and signage and concrete bumper blocks to define parking spaces. This is an ideal location for the remote airline ticketing operation. For this, telephone wires could be brought in along with the electric service, and a trailer used as the temporary office.
This station will be at the site of the old SP depot at 3rd Street and Robson. Adjacent tracks can be used for overnight storage of the equipment. A track or tracks that have trackside truck access will need to be used for at least a short time each night for servicing of the cars and locomotives. The old depot foundations need to be removed for safety reasons and a few hundred feet of Track 2632 need to be removed to allow construction of a timber platform. There is an adjacent SP owned paved lot that could be cleaned up and used to provide a small amount of parking. Stripes for angled curb parking could be installed on Robson between 3rd and 2nd to allow for some additional parking; however, this station would be mainly dependent on feeder bus service and connections into the Mesa Sunrunner transit system.
The following actions should be taken to improve safety for trains, automobiles and pedestrians:
- 2nd Avenue
- Now that 2nd Avenue no longer connects to Grant Street, close 2nd Avenue crossing.
- 1st Street
- If 1st St/1st Ave one-way conversion is complete (using Central Ave. underpass and new traffic cross-over north of the railroad), close 1st St. crossing.
- 2nd Street
- Close 2nd Street crossing.
- 4th Street
- Close 4th Street crossing.
- 6th Street
- Close 6th Street crossing.
- 24th Street
- Upgrade/Replace roundels, masts and cantilevers, and add gates. Provide predictor to improve traffic flow and provide for higher train speeds. (Note that the materials for this project could come from the abandoned crossings)
- 1st Street
- Close 1st Street crossing. (Duplicate to Rio Salado grade separation and 5th St. crossing)
- 9th Street
- Close 9th Street crossing. (Duplicate to University and 10th St. crossing)
To the