On behalf of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the ‘T’), RLBA studied the southeast quadrant of the City to identify rail transit implementation opportunities. Grouping potential alignments into four, distinct, market areas, RLBA evaluated numerous alignments on railroad, highway and street rights-of-way. An extensive public involvement effort included the development and administration of a survey questionnaire that allowed RLBA to incorporate public preferences into its evaluation methodology. The study resulted in identification of the market area, alignment and technology most feasible to pursue as an initial rail service in the southeast part of the City. The report is available at: http://www.the-t.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lluFIxMU1bE%3d&tabid=265

In late 2011, Coos Bay Rail Link restarted freight service after five years of rehabilitation planning, litigation support and construction oversight assistance provided by RLBA and others. The Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad Inc. (CORP) line which provides rail service to the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay formerly was operated by a subsidiary of RailAmerica (RA). A tunnel collapse resulted in RA embargoing freight service on the line and the belief that CORP had not acted in good faith to fix the tunnel problem which caused the Port to investigate the potential replacement of CORP by another short line railroad. RLBA assisted the Port in its successful action at the Surface Transportation Board to gain control of the line. RLBA presented testimony concerning the line’s valuation, rehabilitation needs, maintenance requirements and the steps necessary to procure a contract operator and restore service to the line. After the favorable STB ruling and the Port’s acquisition of the line, RLBA continued to provide rehabilitation planning and on-site inspection of work performed.

On behalf of South Mississippi Electric Power Association. (SMEPA), an RLBA staff member served as expert operating witness to develop a stand-alone railroad operating plan as part of SMEPA’s request to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that it secure relief from excessive coal transportation rates to its Richburg, MS Generating Station. In addition, RLBA incorporated railroad configuration, traffic and operating inputs provided by RLBA operating witness and other experts into the Rail Traffic Controller railroad operations simulation model employed to evaluate network capacity. RLBA's mission was to investigate, using the simulation model, the extent to which the proposed 2,000+ mile stand-alone railroad would meet the needs of shippers and be more cost efficient than the service currently provided by Norfolk Southern Corporation, thereby assisting in the justification of lower SMEPA transportation rates sought. The RLBA Operating Witness inspected the current railroad operation as part of developing the railroad operating plan for the proposed stand-alone railroad linking Richburg, MS with Central Appalachia coal mines. Prior to an STB decision, SMEPA achieved a favorable out-of-court settlement with Norfolk Southern.

On behalf of Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (AEPCO), RLBA supported AEPCO’s request to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that it secure relief from excessive coal transportation rates to its Apache Generating Station in Cochise, AZ. RLBA's mission was to investigate the suitability of the proposed stand-alone railroad to handle the projected traffic, thereby assisting in the justification of lower AEPCO transportation rates sought. RLBA incorporated railroad configuration, traffic and operating inputs provided by an operating witness and other experts into the Rail Traffic Controller railroad operations simulation model, conducted simulations and proposed modifications in the course of developing a suitable infrastructure and cost-effective operating plan.

RLBA also provided expert witness testimony concerning development of a maintenance-of-way (MOW) plan, staffing and costs associated with the stand-alone railroad. The MOW work addressed both types of maintenance, routine and program. Routine maintenance covers the largely labor-intensive, day-to-day task performed by section forces, necessary to ensure that the track and bridge structure is available to safely host train operations and generally includes, but is not limited to, inspections, adjustments, lubricating, welding, re-spiking or gauging track, replacing broken rails, spot surfacing and tie replacement, tamping and emergency repair. Program maintenance comprehends the periodic, project and/or emergency replacement of track and bridge components, either partially or entirely, such as switch timbers, ties, rail, ballast and bridges, to renew the track structure plus the relatively lesser ratio of labor necessary to install the rail, tie and ballast components.

The STB found in favor of AEPCO, ruling that the transportation rates were excessive. Reparations estimated at $4.5 million will be made to offset the past excessive rates and limits will be put on what the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad can charge through 2018, estimated to be a reduction of $63 million.