The Language of Rail Capacity-

1. The Language of Rail Capacity- • Building a common approach to problem-solving DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

2. Dictionary Definition • ca·pac·i·ty •    /kəˈpæsɪti/ Show Spelled [kuh-pas-i-tee] • 1. the ability to receive or contain • 2. the maximum amount or number that can be received or contained; cubic contents; volume • 3. power of receiving impressions, knowledge, etc.; mental ability • 4. actual or potential ability to perform, yield, or withstand; eg. The capacity of the oil well was 150 barrels a day. DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

3. How many pineapples and lemons will fit into the box on the right? DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

4. Physical Capacity • Maximum number of trains that can move through the physical plant for a given unit of time DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

5. Practical Capacity • Physical Capacity as adjusted for many factors: • Train activity unevenly distributed through the day • Operations heterogeneity – differing speeds and stopping patterns consume capacity • Operations anomalies/variations • Physical plant maintenance considerations DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

6. Freight Railway Perspective • Highly disciplined, scheduled services impose extraordinary burden • Public stakeholders impose political risk • Capacity use “uneconomic” regardless of train-mile fees DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

7. Freight Railway Perspective • Commuter rail impacts extend well beyond commuter service area • Future public capital always in doubt; get the $$$ up front DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

8. Public Agency Perspective • Minimum capital upfront – get the service started • How burdensome can this be when daily impacts are clearly defined? • The public is providing new sources of capital– carriers should be grateful DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

9. Kum-ba-yaa • Passenger interests acknowledge need for rail freight service capacity • Freight carriers acknowledge passenger goals, but don’t want it to come at their expense • Absolutely safe ops environment • “Fair” sharing of costs DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

10. Build an Objective Foundation as Joint Stakeholders in a Corridor • How is capacity measured? • What are the confirmations of “adequate” capacity? • On time performance (passenger/freight) • Average minutes of delay • Recovery capability from unplanned events • Agree on the technical modeling tools • Resource sharing • Transparency of inputs/outputs • Establish and record the baseline – what can the physical plant do today? DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop

11. Supplement traditional approaches to rail capacity • Comprehensive service monitoring and tracking of delays – root cause analysis • Engineering standards – building a cushion • Eliminate slow orders and capacity/service impacts) • Load-leveling of maintenance/capital renewal cycles • Controlled, predictable impacts on service/capacity DPSC - SCORT Rail Capacity Workshop