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*No public benefits of individual rail improvements were identified.
Upgrade Track and Signal from Tower 30 (Katy Neck) to GH&H Junction & Add
Connection Track at SE Quadrant of Tower 85
Authorized track speeds on the UPRR Galveston Subdivision range from 20 – 35
miles per hour depending upon location. However, the segment from Tower 30 (Katy
Neck) to GH&H Junction is limited to 20 mph. Upgrading the rail line between
these two locations and installing a Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) signal
system, along with implementing a connector from the UPRR Galveston Subdivision
onto the UPRR East Belt Subdivision at Tower 85 will allow for the closer
spacing of trains and establish the availability of alternative routes to
Englewood and Settegast Yards for train movements from Galveston and the Strang
Subdivision.
These improvements would coordinate with preliminary planning discussions in the
region such as the possible use of the UPRR Galveston Subdivision for passenger
rail service between Houston and Galveston. Additional regional discussions
include a new agreement between the Ports of Houston and Galveston to join
forces on expansion, which may mean more rail traffic from Galveston and/or
Texas City on either the UPRR or BNSF Galveston Subdivisions.
The track and signal upgrades along the UPRR Galveston Subdivision in addition
to the construction of a connector track at Tower 85 are estimated to cost
$5,000,000 and are classified as level 4 long-range improvements, and should
undergo further testing to determine the extent of the improvement’s impact on
the region’s rail network, and to quantify the associated public and private
benefits that may be attained.
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Identified Improvements
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