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*No public benefits of individual rail improvements were identified.
Addition of Second Mainline Track
Currently, the UPRR Navasota Subdivision crosses the BNSF Houston Subdivision
at railroad milepost 14.20, approximately one mile north of where the rail line
crosses the Harris/Montgomery County line. Traffic on the BNSF Houston
Subdivision from this location could enter the Houston rail network via a
connection to the Navasota Subdivision, leaving the lower portion of the BNSF
Houston Subdivision potentially available for alternative transportation uses,
such as commuter rail.
A connector track would require construction between the Houston and Navasota
Subdivisions, as would the construction of a second mainline to Spring Junction.
Operating rights agreements would be required between the UPRR and the BNSF for
this construction to materialize. Without the joint use of this rail corridor,
double tracking this segment may not warrant consideration at this time.
Cost
The estimated cost of a second mainline from Spring Junction to the BNSF
crossing on the Navasota Subdivision is $79,000,000. The second mainline is a
level 4 long-range improvement, 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.
Incidentally, should BNSF through-freight and yard operations (Pearland and
New South Yards) be relocated to outlying areas, the same end result may be
attainable without undertaking this improvement. Back to top
Identified Improvements
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