LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2707

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: APRIL 2, 1997

      Assembly Bill No. 2707 of 1997 requires the Commissioner of Transportation to annually request funding from the Transportation Trust Fund to provide 50 percent of the non-federal share of the costs of installing and maintaining automatic train control systems on locomotives operated by Class III railroad carriers.

      An initial estimate provided by a representative of Class III railroad carriers in the State suggests that they may have as many as 50 locomotives which would require automatic train control systems. Assuming that a reasonably sophisticated system would be installed by New Jersey Transit on its rail lines, Class III carriers who also use such rail lines could expect system equipment costs of $160,000 per locomotive. Consequently, the Trust Fund could be requested to provide up to $80,000 per locomotive or about $4 million in total. However, the annual, system maintenance costs are unknown at this time.

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67.