Case study of Class III (short line) system inventory to determine 286,000-LB. (129,844 KG) railcar operational status in Kansas, USA

The rail industry's recent shift toward larger and heavier railcars has influenced Class III (short line) railroad operation and track maintenance costs in North America. Class III railroads are classified as private businesses earning less than $38.1 million in annual revenue, and generally operate first- and last-leg shipping for their customers. In Kansas, Class III railroads operate approximately 40 percent of the roughly 2800 mi (4500 km) of rail; however, due to current Class III track conditions, they move lighter railcars at lower speeds than Class I railroads. This study identified that Class III railroads shipped just over 189,903 carloads of freight in 2016 and 30 percent of Kansas's Class III track can currently accommodate heavy-axle cars. The state of Kansas statutorily allots $5 million to support rail improvement projects annually, primarily for Class III railroads. Representatives of ten Class III railroads in Kansas were surveyed for information regarding the operational and structural status of their systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to conduct an inventory of Kansas' Class III rail network to identify track segments that would be most beneficial to the rail system if improved based with this support. A tiered recommendation plan was developed to assist with prioritization of future state funding distribution.