Overview
 

Galveston Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)
Passenger Rail Demonstration Program
 

Background

The Galveston Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Passenger Rail Demonstration Program is designed to emphasize the advantages of rail passenger service during peak periods when the Galveston Causeway is heavily congested.  This federally funded passenger rail demonstration project successfully kicked off on Labor Day Weekend 2002, with free tickets to the traveling public and more than 2,800 passengers.  Service was also provided over both weekends of Mardi Gras 2003, with approximately 70% (3,000) of the 4,400 available seats filled.  This level of ridership was significant since ticket pricing was instituted and the service “competed” with other events such as Rodeo Houston.   Most recently, the Labor Day Weekend 2003 operation of the Galveston ITS Passenger Rail Demonstration Program included the traditional link to League City (GH&H/SH 3) and expanded service to Alvin utilizing the Santa Fe/SH 6 rail right-of-way.   The Labor Day 2003 service featured 5,200 of the 6,720 available seats pre-sold.  These train demonstration runs assist in documenting actual ridership levels, analyzing various types of equipment, and evaluating and adjusting schedules.

Charter Equipment and Operations

In order to obtain turnkey charter services, liability insurance, and quality passenger train equipment, the City of Galveston entered into a series of contracts with Amtrak, the National Passenger Rail Corporation.  Management officials from the southwest division of Amtrak have been on site to oversee the service and the passenger boardings.  Both Horizon and SuperLiner Passenger Coaches have been utilized.

Due to a single track in the GH&H right-of-way, a push-pull movement was employed, with one engine for the northbound trip and one engine for the southbound trip, thus eliminating the need for turning the train.

Geography and History - Galveston Island is located approximately 50 miles south of Downtown Houston.  The historic city of Galveston continues to grow as a regional and national tourist destination.  Galveston has many attractions including its beaches, The Strand Mechanic National Register Historic District, Moody Gardens, and the hotels and restaurants along Seawall Boulevard.  The Port of Galveston now ranks in the top five ports for Caribbean Cruise embarkations.  Seasonal Festivals such as Mardi Gras and Dickens on The Strand are among the activities that both tourists and residents of Galveston Island enjoy.

League City, located along the southern shore of Clear Lake, is the northeastern terminus of the Texas GulfLiner and is almost equidistant from the Houston CBD and Galveston Island.  League City is adjacent to one of the nation’s largest recreational marina areas.  League City’s proximity to major employment centers, such as NASA, and to regional tourist destinations, such as the Kemah Waterfront, make it attractive to families.  League City’s population of approximately 53,000, which is projected to triple over the next 20 years, could also derive a multitude of benefits from intercity rail.

Alvin, the northwestern terminus, is located along SH 6 in Brazoria County.  This community will likely undergo significant change over the next few years.  Originally anchored by a rail depot for trains en route to Victorian-era Galveston, Alvin grew into a quiet suburban community that boasted itself as the hometown of major league baseball great, Nolan Ryan.  A 100,000+ capacity auto racetrack and several new residential subdivisions are now planned in the area.  With a downtown area that is not located along a major freeway, the reintroduction of passenger rail service to Alvin could be a boon to the redevelopment of the town’s Main Street.

The success of the Texas GulfLiner and the Galveston ITS Passenger Rail Demonstration Program provides a unique opportunity to address matters such as freeway congestion, pollution, a need for alternative intercity commuter and leisure travel, as well as economic development.  This information, and that gathered during future runs of the Texas GulfLiner, will be utilized to improve quality throughout the demonstration and to make the case for regular passenger rail service between Galveston Island and the Mainland.

The only other fixed-route rail service that currently exists is the Galveston Rail Trolley system, which operates as an internal circulator within Galveston and is readily accessible by pedestrians from the Galveston Railroad Museum, which serves as the Texas Gulfliner’s southern station.

Stations - The Galveston Railroad Museum serves as the Galveston Island station and the southern terminus, which is in walking distance to The Strand Mechanic National Register Historic District.  The future Island Transit Downtown Transit Terminal will be located just across 25^th Street, providing additional access.  The City of Galveston is also working to extend the Rail Trolley to The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston.  Such a connection would benefit those traveling from the Mainland to Galveston via regular passenger service.  Approximately 4,000 UTMB employees and patients originate in the League City area and would also benefit from this multimodal connection.

The northern terminus and station is the League Park/Perkins Station in League City.  The new Perkins Station commercial development adjacent to League Park also served as a station.  Future passenger rail access played a large part in the private sector investment in Perkins Station.

Similarly, the City of Alvin is restoring its 1907 Santa Fe Passenger Depot for a museum and to support passenger services.  Alvin, although not along the SH 3 Corridor, does have access to the growing population centers in Brazoria County and Fort Bend County.  These riders would have an ongoing interest in Galveston Island access, especially on weekends and during special events.  With Alvin’s new 100,000+ capacity auto racetrack slated for construction, train access to Galveston Island would be another method of providing access to these visitors.

A future connection to Ellington Field in south Houston has also been considered as a station alternative closer to the Houston CBD.  The potential that an Ellington Field connection would hold is an interesting prospect.  For those traveling to and from IAH Bush Intercontinental, connecting flights are offered from Ellington.  Furthermore, this connection could provide cruise ship passengers with direct access from “plane to train to ship.”  Future regular commuter service operations obviously would require, at key points along the Corridor, further station development, dedicated parking areas and garages, and rail sidings and spurs.

ITS Signage – Information on the Texas GulfLiner service has been made public through a partnership with Houston TranStar and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) via its Dynamic Message Signs along several freeway corridors in the region.  This includes directing travelers to the 1-877-GAL-RAIL phone number and the www.texasgulfliner.com (www.gulfliner.com) website for scheduling and ticket sales.

Ticketing

Although the Labor Day run of the train was free, the Mardi Gras 2003 demonstration initiated a ticket cost primarily for two reasons.  First, the testing potential of future ridership for regular service requires consideration of a cost component.  Second, the revenue generated by ticket sales will offset the cost to provide the charter through Amtrak, thereby increasing the number of dates of service that the federal grant can support.  In the Labor Day 2002 passenger survey, the majority of respondents stated that an acceptable cost to ride the train would be $5 to $7 per one-way trip.  Therefore, roundtrip ticket prices used were within that general range.  The following ticket costs were charged for the Mardi Gras and Labor Day 2003 services.

Next Steps

During the course of the partnership with Amtrak and Union Pacific to provide this service, one of the key issues that surfaced is providing continuity of both freight and passenger service during the demonstration.  As a result, a freight-passenger rail capacity study will likely be required at some point in the near future.

Realizing Ultimate Project Goals

The primary goal of the Galveston ITS Passenger Rail Demonstration Program is to build grass-roots support for the re-establishment of regular passenger rail services between Galveston Island and the Mainland.  Until 1967, Galveston had daily passenger services to the Houston CBD.  Although it is a demonstration project, the Texas GulfLiner is the only local intercity passenger rail service operating in the eight-county Houston-Galveston TMA.  However, achieving the ultimate goal of returning regular service between Galveston Island and the Houston CBD will require significant capital investments.  Improvements for track upgrades along the mainline, including continuously welded double tracked rail, new sidings and spurs, stations, terminals, grade crossings and signals, will be needed in varying degrees along the 50 miles between Galveston Island and the Houston CBD.  In support of that effort, the City of Galveston has requested Congressional assistance through the reauthorization and appropriations processes.  Not only would these improvements benefit passenger operations, but would also benefit freight operations using this rail corridor, and would also enhance access to the Port of Galveston and its industrial users.

Home ~ About ~ Overview ~ Map ~ Future Operations ~ Contact