Education - Part 3D
Trackage
What is Trackage?
In order for a railroad company to operate, it must first build trackage and this means it must have land upon which to build. Acquiring this land is fraught with difficulty, especially today, because rail trackage frequently must pass through densely-populated areas which are often the ultimate source of revenue for the railroad company.
Planning
The railroad company draws up a plan for its trackage (which includes access by ground transport for maintenance and other purposes). A preferred route and one or more alternate routes may be laid out that identify things like ease and cost of construction, potential construction delays, convenience to potential customers, legal issues and various other factors.
Right-of-Way
This plan also identifies the parcels of land owned by others from whom a right-of-way (ROW) must be obtained. Obtaining right-of-way may be facilitated by various laws (after all, the railroad may be considered a public utility), but not without consideration of Amendments V and XIV of the United States Constitution (Takings) or equivalent laws in other countries. ROW may be obtained via lease, purchase or eminent domain.
Other Concerns
Other concerns include construction matters (e.g., soil conditions, grade, drainage, support structures such as bridges and tunnels, branching, environmental degradation, affect on health and well-being of neighbors, safety issues and "not-in-my-neighborhood" concerns. These matters will be touched on as we proceed.
Topics specifically related to trackage may be accessed using the following buttons.
In order for a railroad company to operate, it must first build trackage and this means it must have land upon which to build. Acquiring this land is fraught with difficulty, especially today, because rail trackage frequently must pass through densely-populated areas which are often the ultimate source of revenue for the railroad company.
Planning
The railroad company draws up a plan for its trackage (which includes access by ground transport for maintenance and other purposes). A preferred route and one or more alternate routes may be laid out that identify things like ease and cost of construction, potential construction delays, convenience to potential customers, legal issues and various other factors.
Right-of-Way
This plan also identifies the parcels of land owned by others from whom a right-of-way (ROW) must be obtained. Obtaining right-of-way may be facilitated by various laws (after all, the railroad may be considered a public utility), but not without consideration of Amendments V and XIV of the United States Constitution (Takings) or equivalent laws in other countries. ROW may be obtained via lease, purchase or eminent domain.
Other Concerns
Other concerns include construction matters (e.g., soil conditions, grade, drainage, support structures such as bridges and tunnels, branching, environmental degradation, affect on health and well-being of neighbors, safety issues and "not-in-my-neighborhood" concerns. These matters will be touched on as we proceed.
Topics specifically related to trackage may be accessed using the following buttons.