Railroad Construction Costs | Compass International (2024)

New & Refurbished High Speed Rail Track costs per Mile / Km, Traffic Control Systems, Signals, Freight Siding Cost Metrics, Detailed Design & Construction Management / Inspection historical benchmarks.

New Rail Road Costs:$ Low Cost per Mile$ High Cost per Mile$ Low Cost per Km$ High Cost per Km
High speed single track on new stone rail road stone bed159500018150009968751134375
High speed single track on existing stone rail road stone bed12650001485000790625928125
High speed double track on new stone rail road stone bed2310000264000014437501650000
High speed double track on existing stone rail road stone bed2200000253000013750001581250
Install a Centralized traffic control system - single track 247500302500154685189065
Install a Centralized traffic control system - double track 357500412500223450257825
Track Repairs / Improvements$ Low Cost per Mile$ High Cost per Mile$ Low Cost per Km$ High Cost per Km
25% replace timber railroad ties & stone220000330000137500206250
50% replace timber railroad ties & stone330000440000206250275000
75% replace timber railroad ties & stone440000550000275000343750
25% replace PCC railroad ties & stone275000385000171875240625
50% replace PCC railroad ties & stone385000495000240625309375
75% replace PCC railroad ties & stone495000605000309375378125
Chain link fencing 8' high(includes both sides)165000220000103125137500
Individual Items$ Low Cost $ High Cost
High speed turnout - Each605000848750
Freight / Passenger siding 1 to 2.5 miles in length - Each16500003425000
Signals - Each29508835
Crossing barrier / gate - Each1100022500
Road bed stone ballast 1" to 1.50" cost per ton (supply only) - Ton30.2542.25
Rail 100 pound LF (supply only) - Lin Ft33.1539.25
Pre-Cast Concrete (PCC) ties, 8'6" long x 15" wide x 10" deep -each (supply only) - Each185235
Timber rail road ties, pressured treated 8'6" x 8" x 6" (supply only) - each74.2598.25
Tie plates - each (supply only)10.7514.25
Track bolts - each (supply only)3.555.15
Rail spikes - each (supply only)1.0451.45
Rail stop - each (supply only)9501500
Resurface & re-align existing single line track - LF19.2528.25
Detailed Design and Construction Management FeesLow % High %
Detailed Design 0.05250.075
Construction Management and Inspection0.0350.0475
Owner Engineering / Oversight0.01250.0225
Total0.10.145

Square Foot / Square Meter Cost Data are established from data collected for the Compass International‘s 2017 Global Construction Costs Yearbooks:
Compass International’s (7) Global Cost Books cover, Facilities / Buildings, Energy, Power, Offshore & Process cost models & unit prices, visit our website at
www.compassinternational.net to view our latest books & our latest free newsletter & free estimating tools.

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Railroad Construction Costs | Compass International (2024)

FAQs

How much does building a railroad cost? ›

Very generally, rail infrastructure construction costs can range from $2 million per mile in flat rural areas to $300 million per mile or more in urban areas. 3.2. 2 Rolling Stock The other major category of rail asset is rolling stock.

What were the human costs of railroads construction? ›

Human costs were that There was an expectancy of death, 1,500 of the Chinese die in explosions and rock slides. Dynamite had to be used, resulting in dangerous measures. In this episode, the bison is described as a "mobile general store" for Native Americans on the plains.

How much does it cost to build 1 mile of high speed rail? ›

The Little Engine That Couldn't: California's High-Speed Rail Costs Rise To $200 Million Per Mile. California's high-speed rail (HSR) pencils out to around $200 million per mile for the San Francisco–Los Angeles route. And this cost is almost certainly too low if the main attraction of the project is ever built.

How much does it cost to lay one mile of train track? ›

The cost of building a mile of new railroad track through average Midwestern terrain can vary depending on various factors such as the specific location, terrain conditions, track specifications, labor costs, and materials used. However, as a rough estimate, the cost can range from $1 million to $3 million per mile.

What is the total cost of making a train? ›

Cost of making one coach is around 6.52 crore. 408 such coaches are made till Aug 2023 with a whopping total cost of 2732.72 crore. Cost of making 1 Shatabdi Express: Generally, Shatabdi contains 21-22 coaches with a cost of 47.45 crores which includes 3 power coaches, 3 executive coaches, and 16 A.C coaches.

How much railroad does Warren Buffett own? ›

In 2009, Buffett completed the buying of the company. He bought the rest of BNSF for $34 billion, or roughly $100 a share. The buy gave him an extra 77.4% stake in BNSF, or 100% control. The buy equaled around $44 billion.

Who paid for the construction of the railroad? ›

The rail line was built by three private companies over public lands provided by extensive U.S. land grants. Building was financed by both state and U.S. government subsidy bonds as well as by company-issued mortgage bonds.

Who made a lot of money from railroads? ›

Cornelius Vanderbilt (May 27, 1794 – January 4, 1877), nicknamed "the Commodore", was an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping.

Why did Chinese build the railroad? ›

The Central Pacific Railroad, which was tasked with constructing the western half of the Transcontinental Railroad, began hiring Chinese workers in 1864 after facing a labor shortage that jeopardized the railroad's completion.

Why can't the US build high-speed rail? ›

Winding tracks mean that trains on the Northeast Corridor travel at an average speed between 70 and 80 miles per hour. To enable true high speed, the U.S. would need to build specially designed tracks that are straighter, a project that would take at least 10 years and possibly up to 30, Gardner says.

Why is high-speed rail so expensive in the US? ›

Trains use very complex infrastructure that wears out. You need fencing, tracks, signals, track side bushes and trees cut back, track treatment, new ballast every now and again. All that costs billions and billions. An airplane just needs a runway at each end.

How profitable is China high-speed rail? ›

According to "Sina Finance," China Railway Group's financial data for 2023 shows that the company's net profit turned from negative to positive, reaching RMB 3.304 billion, or $456.8 million, and its operating performance was the best in history.

How much money does it cost to build a railroad? ›

rule of thumb for new track construction is between $1 Million - $2 Million per mile, depending on who is constructing the track.

How much does high speed rail cost per mile in Europe? ›

Most newer routes cost at least $10 million per mile to construct. Clearly, the more expensive the line is to build, the more difficult it will be to break even. While operating costs vary, the cheapest European rail line costs more than $50,000 per seat to operate annually.

Why do train tracks cost so much? ›

This CNBC report shows that building subways in the U.S. is more expensive than in most countries because of high labor costs, overbuilt tracks and stations, and onerous regulations. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

How much does it cost to build rails? ›

The cost of a railing project will be largely dependent upon the length of the railing. Depending on the type of material, expect to pay about $110 per linear foot for the railing, which includes the cost of labor, which is about $30 per foot, and the cost of material, which is about $80 per foot.

How profitable are railroads? ›

The US economy is colossal. In fact, it represents more than 20% (1/5th) of the entire global economy.

How much does it cost to build a new train? ›

Web searches suggests a basic 75-seat vehicle may cost £250,000 to £300,000. A life of 15 years may be realistic although, given a large fleet and dedicated design, 20 years may be a realistic target. Capital recovery factors with the interest rate set to 3.5^% are then 0.0868 and 0.0705 respectively.

How much would the railroad cost today? ›

According to the Dollar Times inflation calculator, this would translate to over $1 billion in today's money, but the real cost would likely be much higher due to the increased complexity and standards of current railway construction.

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