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Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line

Old railroad track through countryside in autumn, aerial view from drone pov

Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line Operating Agreement

The RTC purchased the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line in 2012 from Union Pacific. At that time, Union Pacific, which retained the easement for freight rail service operations, transferred that easement to a new rail service operator selected by the RTC. The RTC went through a public process to seek a new rail operator and selected Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Railway (a company of Iowa Pacific Holdings) as the operator.

In December 2017, the RTC released a request for proposals for a new rail operator, and five proposals were submitted to the RTC. After review of all of the proposals and careful due diligence, the RTC selected Progressive Rail as the new operator, and the agreement was approved in June 2018.

Documents available for public review:

Rail Service Studies

The RTC is studying the feasibility of passenger rail transit service along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line which roughly parallels Highway 1 and the coast in Santa Cruz County. The study was initiated to answer questions about how rail transit could further transportation goals for Santa Cruz County, providing travel options that enhance communities, the environment, and support economic vitality.

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Preventative Maintenance Program

The Santa Cruz Branch Line is an active short line railroad that travels through Santa Cruz County along a right-of-way (ROW) of varying width between Pajaro and Davenport. The RTC is responsible for maintaining the portion of the ROW outside of the railroad easement, which is defined as a 10-foot lateral width in each direction from the railroad centerline. The short line railroad operator, Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad, is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure within the railroad easement. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) imposes safety requirements for any activity within 25 feet of the centerline of track. As segments of the rail trail are built, the local jurisdiction will be responsible for maintaining the corridor on the trail side of the tracks.

The RTC has a Preventative Maintenance Program that outlines procedures for RTC staff to carry out maintenance operations, with individual inquiries being tracked using ArcGIS, a mapping and analytics platform. Regular inspections and repairs to the infrastructure within the ROW will maintain the corridor for future use and limit impacts to adjacent jurisdictions and private property.

Maintenance Requests
In addition to regular inspections by staff, community members can report maintenance needs by emailing maintenance@sccrtc.org or calling the RTC office for matters such as damaged rail equipment or homeless encampments. Please include your name, email, request, and location description. Do not enter the rail corridor right-of-way to investigate any matter yourself. Access to any part of the ROW requires permission from the RTC and the short line railroad operator through a right of entry agreement.

Once the RTC receives a report, it is entered into our tracking system and a ticket number is assigned for reference. Individuals who submit reports of maintenance needs to the RTC via email will receive a reply email with their ticket number, which can be referred to for future status changes and resolution.

Right of Entry & Construction Requests

he Santa Cruz Branch Line is an active short line railroad that travels through Santa Cruz County along a right-of-way (ROW) of varying width between Pajaro and Davenport. The short line railroad operator, Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad, owns rights to the railroad infrastructure and currently operates freight service on part of the line. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) imposes safety requirements for any activity within 25 feet of the center line of track.

Uses of the Branch Line ROW are subject to the following policies:

For any construction or access needed within the Branch Line ROW, public and private entities and individuals should contact the RTC well in advance of the activity to determine the type of agreement needed, and to execute the agreement prior to the activity occurring. The RTC requires a right of entry (ROE) agreement be in place prior to entering the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line right-of-way for any access or minor construction purposes (example: replacement of a fence bordering the Branch Line ROW). The ROE agreement requires the applicant to notify the short line railroad operator 30 days in advance of entry or encroachment with the date, time, location, duration, and nature of the activity in the vicinity of the railroad track and its appurtenant equipment and structures. A separate, more basic right of entry agreement will likely be required from the short line railroad operator. RTC and/or short line railroad operator representatives may require a field meeting prior to consideration of an ROE agreement. For access, submit an application online to the RTC at least 45 days in advance.

Utilities and Other Construction – additional information

The RTC requires a license agreement for new underground and overhead utilities that cross or enter the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line right-of-way. The lead time for a crossing agreement or other new construction project is typically 4 to 6 months. It is important to contact the RTC well in advance of planned access in order to allow sufficient time to execute the agreement and make the necessary notifications. Any utility or other construction work that traverses the railroad infrastructure or is in the vicinity of railroad infrastructure within the Branch Line ROW must conform to the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) standards as well as RTC requirements, as described in the RTC General Procedures document available on our online application site.

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