Key Metrics

Through case studies, interviews, and literature review, key metrics were identified and the value of each metric was considered for the following group: freight operators, passenger agencies, and the community.

Freight and passenger rail are inherently different and while they may use similar metrics, the values they place on each metric can differ. Additionally, since railroads impact the communities they serve and travel through, the values these communities place on key metrics must also be considered and evaluated. Understanding what is important to each group allows all sides to understand other perspectives and identify potential metrics where collaboration can happen.

The key metrics identified were: safety, network performance, accessibility, equity, environment, and finance. This section will discuss each specific metric, how each group values it, common measurements, and the impacts from the degree to which it is prioritized. The legend for the value sliders is shown here.

Safety

Safety is a critical metric for any transportation system and is a top priority for all three group. A safe and accident-free railroad environment is vital to all three groups as accidents leads to delays, damages, liability, money, and significant mental and environment impacts on communities.

Common Measurements

Number of accidents and fatalities
Number of train derailments
Number of at-grade railroad crossings
Number of inspections

Safety is listed as a primary concern for freight railroads and has invested resources and funding into technology, maintenance, and equipment
Most freight operators have a vision of zero accidents and injuries

Safety is listed as a primary concern for freight railroads and has invested resources and funding into technology, maintenance, and equipment
Amtrak's goal is to become the safest passenger railroad with zero accidents and zero serious injuries

Communities are negatively impacted by accidents, derailments, and fatalities so they have a high value to ensuring a safe and accident-free environment for their communities
Accidents cause physical damage along with environmental and mental health impacts and it is crucial to ensure a safe and accident-free railroad environment

Network Performance

Network Performance describes how well the rail network is operating, in terms of mobility, congestion, and reliability. Operations for both freight and passenger rail depends on how smoothly traffic flows across the network and the more congested a corridor is, the more disruption and delays the trains experience.

However, freight and passenger rail tend to look at network performance at different scales.

Common Measurements

On -Time Performance
Car Dwell Time
Car Loads
Railroad Corridor Level of Service
Railroad Corridor Capacity

Network performance is measured through train car dwell time, number of car loads, and railroad corridor level of service and capacity
Assess performance from a large scale, network perspective that often spans national and even multi-nationally

Network Performance is measured through on-time performance
Looks at performance from their specific route and corridor

Network performance has a minimal impact on the community
Community is impacted by poor on-time performance or in rare case, supply chain delays or failures

Accessibility

Access is defined as the ability of corridor users to reach desired destinations or activities. Access for whom and to what are considered for each group.

Common Measurements

Measurements of how attracted an area is based on distance and opportunities
Number of rail stops and passenger rail mileage
Percent of major freight generator with appropriate rail access
Percent of shippers within 50 miles of intermodal trailer-on-freight-car facility
Number or capacity of intermodal facilities

Improving access means connecting to major freight generator, increase capacity or numbers of intermodal facilities, and overall a more efficient goods movement

Increasing access help supports economic growth, improve environmental outcomes by decreasing greenhouse gas emission, and increase equity

Accessibility to rail expands the communities' reach to other places and provides additional opportunities for the community
Access or inaccess has historically impacted certain communities, and communities need to be considered for sensitive infrastructure since they may be impacted by potential displacement and gentrification

Equity

Equity considers how the costs and burdens of transportation investments are distributed, and measures where impacts fall along social and spatial lines. While railroads may be able to provide access to more opportunities, rail improvements have also historically been linked with gentrification and displacement.

Common Measurements

Population and social groups
Barriers such as education, incomes, zero vehicle households
Access such as schools, banks, grocery stores, green spaces, health care, and jobs within reasonable distance
Level of impact and externalities

Often not a high priority because there is little incentive to incorporate equity into investment and are not held to the same standards as public agencies
More efficient goods movement can mean a lower cost of goods. This benefit, however, may not offset the cost of increased truck, port, and rail volumes for those closest to the facilities

Considers equity impacts from the perspective of "externalities" and the indirect benefits and costs experienced by third parties
Needs to consider who is being served by the investments as rail has traditionally served whiter and wealtheir commuter populations

High value on ensuring the cost of rail improvements - financial, environmental, or otherwise - are not borne by only certain communities while benefiting others

Environmental

Compared with road and air travel, rail is a high-capacity and highly sustainable mode of transportation. Transportation represented 29% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, and 22% in Canada in 2021. Within the sector, rail travel represents a mere 2% of emissions, and shipping goods by rail is up to four times more efficient than trucking overall.

Common Measurements

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Air Pollutant Emissions
Noise Pollution

Address environmental concerns through looking to make their operations more efficient in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and day-to-day operations
Fuel-efficient locomotives not only help to reduce emissions, but also reduce operating cost
Electrification, with its significant investments, is not seen as a viable means for reducing its emissions and focuses instead on technology

Emission reductions and environmental benefits of rail travel is often included when applying for grants and funding opportunities
Amtrak has set a 2045 Net-zero emissions goals and have invested in cleaner fleets through lower-emission fuels and expanding electrification

Rail travel represents a significant opportunity to lower the environmental impact of travel
Communities are also concern about the air quality for local communities surrounding freight facilities and concentrated rail movement.
Noise pollution such as train warning horns can also have significant impacts and identified as one of the community dissatisfaction, affecting sleep and health

Finance

Each three group has a different value and emphasize on finance and financial performance. Generally, passenger service contributes less than 1 percent to a freight railroad's operating revenue, so there is little incentive for host railroads to seek out passenger operations, and agreements with passenger agencies must be financially competitive to account for the additional planning and operating costs

Common Measurements

Revenue Adequacy
Shareholder Return
Farebox Recovery Ratio
Transit Subsidy

One of the highest priority
Strong operating numbers leading to healthy shareholder return is often the driving factor in the companies' decision making
Freight companies are looking to invest in areas that can optimize profit and maintain or exceed revenue adequacy.

Recouping operating costs is often less of a priority than providing public benefits, such as accessibility and service
Farebox Recovery Ratio, the proportion of operating expenses covered by passenger fares, is a common metric to assess the viability of passenger service

Low value for the communities since finance does not have much of an impact on the community
Since passenger rail is often supplemented by taxes, communities often seek insight into what investments are made to ensure the benefits accrue equitably across different community groups

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