HEAVY AXLE-LOAD CHALLENGE
(HAL)

Heavy axle-load, (HAL) is creating immediate threat for Indiana shortline industry, as 286,000-lb. capacity rail cars become the norm for industry.

• Indiana Department of Transportation's (INDOT) 2002 "Rail Plan" states $100 million required to address HAL challenge.
• American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO) funded study of "Ten Year Needs of America's Short Line and Regional Railroads" states -- $10 Billion needed to upgrade for HAL.
• Indiana's Industrial Rail Service Fund, (IRSF), generates approximately 1.2 million for 38 shortlines.
• At current level of funding IRSF, it will take 66 years to address the HAL needs in Indiana.
• Shortlines predominantly serve rural areas. An estimated 50% are heavily dependent on grain loadings.
• Rail is an integral component in Indiana's $5 billion agribusiness industry.
• Indiana railroads haul the equivalent of 2.5 million truck loads per year. If current tonnage were diverted to truck, about $350 million in additional annual road maintenance would be required.
• INFRASTRUCTURE - about one third of expense is for the upgrading of bridges while the remaining cost is related to track structure-ties, rail and ballast.
• Improvements in freight rail service can be expected to have important economic benefits. For example, lower costs per mile for the transportation of products. This can lead to the increased potential for greater market share by customer of the railroads.