United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2004-01-09 monographic deposited born digital 50 p. GA 1.13:GAO-04-240 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240 P0b002ee1803a30dc f:d04240 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240 GAO-04-240 Federal aid to railroads Railroad industry Railroad regulation Railroad safety Railroad transportation operations Interagency relations Strategic planning Other Written Product A09085

Commuter and freight rail services have the potential to play increasingly important roles in the nation's economy and transportation system as demand for these services increases. Because the cost of building new infrastructure can be costprohibitive, commuter rail agencies typically seek to use existing infrastructure--which is primarily owned by private freight railroads. Consequently, commuter rail agencies must negotiate to purchase, lease, or pay to access the existing infrastructure from freight railroads. GAO was asked to examine (1) the challenges commuter rail agencies and freight railroads face when negotiating and sharing rights-of-way, (2) the actions that help facilitate mutually beneficial arrangements between commuter rail agencies and freight railroads, and (3) the role the federal government plays in negotiations between commuter rail agencies and freight railroads. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240.pdf GAO-04-240 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-04-240 Other Written Product GAO-04-240; Commuter Rail: Information and Guidance Could Help Facilitate Commuter and Freight Rail Access Negotiations; Federal aid to railroads Railroad industry Railroad regulation Railroad safety Railroad transportation operations Interagency relations Strategic planning Title 49 Section 10101 Title 49 Section 10102(5) Title 49 Section 28103 Title 49 Section 28103(a)(1) 49 U.S.C. 10101 49 U.S.C. 10102(5) 49 U.S.C. 28103 49 U.S.C. 28103(a)(1) Title 2249 Section 10501(c)(2) 2249 U.S.C. 10501(c)(2) Title 2549 Section 10501(c)(3)(B) 2549 U.S.C. 10501(c)(3)(B) Public Law 105-134 Title 49 Part 209 49 CFR Part 209