One thing you learn over the course of decades working in the rail industry is that in a sector this complex, collaboration is key. From railroads and carriers to policymakers and planners, the system can’t function without collaboration amongst its many stakeholders.

That collaboration is missing from Amtrak’s push to introduce a new passenger service to the Gulf Coast. Unless and until Amtrak returns to the table to work through crucial – and entirely standard – questions about the proposed expansion and its impact on existing freight rail traffic and infrastructure, it is simply not prudent for the proposal to move forward.

Passenger rail service is successful when it is developed and implemented in collaboration with host railroads. Far from a professional courtesy, this coordination is essential for the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of this critical interconnected transportation infrastructure. In fact, the collaboration does not end once the service is introduced since host railroads and Amtrak will need to work together around the clock to deliver the performance that the traveling public expects.

Over the decades, the railroad industry has developed data-driven tools and software to enable stakeholders to work cooperatively to analyze and understand the operational impacts of introducing and expanding train service.

Additional trains or new services shouldn’t be added to existing lines without first understanding the impact those new trains will have on what’s already there – especially when adding four daily Amtrak trains through communities that rely on freight service to connect their businesses to the rest of the American economy.

Passenger rail has an extremely important role to play in the future of our country. But it would be a mistake to introduce new passenger trains on blind faith alone. Amtrak has presented no data as to how the proposed Gulf Coast passenger trains will perform on the current infrastructure.

In 2020, I worked closely with the Federal Railroad Administration to develop a new metric, Customer On-Time Performance, to measure the performance of intercity passenger trains and ensure that the public could enjoy a predictable and reliable travel experience across the many routes operated by Amtrak. The metric is not designed, however, to set host railroads up to fail or eliminate Amtrak’s statutory obligation to fund the infrastructure necessary to support its passenger service.

It is not in the public interest to invest taxpayer money to implement a passenger service that fails to meet the expectations of the traveling public and degrades existing freight service.

The host railroads – specifically CSX and Norfolk Southern – made clear their willingness to complete the necessary study to support the introduction of the new passenger trains. When Amtrak declined to complete the study, CSX and Norfolk Southern were forced to complete the analysis without Amtrak’s valuable input and cooperation.

Their study wrapped up in 2021 and underscored why these empirical, data-driven reviews are so important. The results show that without infrastructure improvements, the freight trains operating on the Gulf Coast would see an increase of 22.7 percent in delays and a 4.5 percent speed reduction. For context, a 4.5 percent reduction in speed equates to over 13 hours of additional delay per day. CSX local trains are hit hardest with a 45.4 percent increase in delays and a 6.9 percent reduction in speed which means that freight rail customers will not be able to receive the raw materials or components necessary for their production runs and they will be unable to ship and sell products to their customers.

This is concerning in any environment, but it warrants even greater concern in the face of today’s unsteady supply chain.

I am far from an opponent of passenger rail. On the contrary, I spent more than 25 years working in various roles at Amtrak. During stints as Vice President of Operations, Customer Service and Support, Transportation, and in other roles, I developed a deep appreciation for the role passenger rail plays in connecting our nation.

The Surface Transportation Board should reject Amtrak’s “no study-no infrastructure” approach. But this rejection doesn’t have to be fatal to Amtrak’s aspirations. Freight railroads and Amtrak have a long history of arriving at mutually beneficial solutions through good faith, bi-lateral negotiations. In fact, CSX struck a deal just a few weeks ago with Amtrak amid its acquisition of Pan Am in New England – a recent case study in what is possible when all sides come to the table in pursuit of a positive path forward.

That outcome is still within reach. The Surface Transportation Board can, and should, send Amtrak and the host railroads back to the negotiating table to cooperatively test changes to schedules and impacts to infrastructure. In doing so, they can identify the best approach for accommodating Amtrak’s desired passenger trains while preserving quality, essential freight service in the Gulf Coast region.

The Federal Railroad Administration has suggested that this dispute to be decided by the Surface Transportation Board is “precedent-setting.” I encourage the Board, in its decision to set a precedent for collaboration between host railroads and Amtrak which, I am sure, will lead to a long and sustained success for both freight and passenger trains on the Gulf Coast and on other routes across the nation.

Robert VanderClute is the President of First Rail International and previously spent 26 years working in various positions with AMTRAK. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.