The Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad (NDW) is a contender for the highest derailment rate of any rail line in the American freight system. The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) proposes the Napoleon, Defiance & Western Critical Safety Upgrade (CSU) to improve the NDW line between Woodburn, IN and Defiance, OH from marginal Excepted condition to FRA Class 1 track class. The project will replace 10 miles of 80# rail with 132/136# rail, and replace 29,000 ties on 29 miles line. The CSU project will cost $8,224,904 and ORDC and NDW will pledge a match of 50.0%, or $4,112,452.
In 2013, online video posts highlighted the predecessor Maumee & Western as “The Worst Railroad” in America.[1] Since that time, ORDC and the new owners of NDW have worked to improve tie condition and the safety and efficiency of the line. But the line remains in need of a complete overhaul to reduce the high number of derailments. Upgrades to this line will reduce derailments by 1,663 over the next 20 years, create net benefits of $30,370,540 and generate a benefit-cost ratio of 3.88-to-1.00.
A. Narrative: CSU_A_Narrative.pdf – The project narrative.
B. Statement of Work: CSU_B_SOW.pdf (.docx) – Required Statement of Work in both PDF and MS Word formats.
C. Benefit-Cost Analysis: CSU_C_BCA.xlsx – Benefit-Cost Analysis in MS Excel form.
D. BCA Explanation: CSU_D_BCA_Explain.pdf – Explanation of the BCA.
E. Documentation Letters: CSU_E_Documentation.pdf – Letters from the heads of NDW departments and consultants explaining values used in the BCA and this narrative.
F. Cat Ex Worksheet: CSU_F_CE.pdf (.docx) – NEPA Categorical Exclusion Worksheet prepared by Antea Group USA.
G. Support Letters: CSU_G_Support.pdf – Twenty-five letters of support are included, with special attention drawn to: U.S. Senator Rob Portman, U.S. Rep. Robert E. Latta, Jack Marchbanks, Ph.D, Director, Ohio DOT, OH St. Sen. Rob McColley, OH St. Reps. Craig S. Riedel and Jim Hoops, IN St. Sen. Dennis Kruse, ORDC Director Mark Policinski, and Kristin Brier, Director, Multimodal Division, Indiana Department of Transportation, among others.
H. Project Budget: CSU_H_Budget.xlsx – Budget documents, including tables used in this narrative and the SOW.
I. Commitment Letter: CSU_I_Commitments.pdf – Letters from ORDC and NDW pledging 50.0% match for the project.
J. Procurement Statement: CSU_K_Procurement.pdf – Statement that the applicant
[1] A youtube.com search for the predecessor road “Maumee and Western” will return multiple exhilarating videos of track conditions several years ago under previous owners.