Development of an Access Charge Framework for High-Speed Rail Incorporating Rail Replacement Costs and Dynamic Train Characteristics

This thesis develops a framework to determine track access charges for shared high-speed rail corridors, with a focus on rail replacement cost driven by train-induced loads. The method explicitly accounts for both static loads, resulting from axle weights, and dynamic loads that arise from train speed and track geometry, particularly curvature. Train characteristics such as axle load, operating speed, frequency of service, and number of wheels are integrated with track parameters, including curve radius, to calculate the total vertical load. These loads are used to estimate the cumulative tonnage threshold for rail replacement and the resulting service life of the track segment.The framework proceeds to calculate the total rail replacement cost, projects it to the end of the rail's service life using inflation-adjusted rates and converts this cost into an equivalent annual amount. The annualized cost is then proportionally allocated to each train operator based on their calculated contribution to the cumulative rail loading. Finally, the per-trip access charge is calculated. A case study on the Palmdale–Burbank corridor planned to be shared by California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) and Brightline West, demonstrates the framework’s application. Using publicly available and assumed operating data, the analysis shows that CAHSR trains contribute a greater share of total rail wear due to their higher axle loads, operating speed, and service frequency. Consequently, CAHSR is assigned a higher per-trip access charge than Brightline West. These results confirm that the proposed method provides an effective approach for allocating rail replacement costs based on actual infrastructure use.