The Arizona Department of Transportation selected RLBA to develop a State of Arizona railroad inventory and assessment, to both update the 2000 Arizona State Rail Plan Update and facilitate Arizona’s passenger rail plans in general and the Phoenix region commuter plan in particular. The overall study embraced: 1)a detailed inventory of the state’s rail network, including service levels, track conditions and other characteristics; 2)a GIS map database; 3)status and needs of grade crossing improvements statewide; 4)description of Arizona’s current passenger rail services and plans; 5)identification of needs and plans of the two Class I railroads serving Arizona; 6)infrastructure investment needs of Arizona’s smaller railroads; 7)potential federal funding; 8)railroad preservation opportunities; 9)right-of-way preservation strategies; 10)identification of public and private sector support of rail transportation and 11)two presentations to the Maricopa Association of Governments regarding the rail network within that organization’s commuter rail planning boundary and various associated issues.