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Re: Union Pacific seeks bond funds for overhaul of Sierra route
Author: Jason Kuehn
Date: 02-12-2008 - 10:01
George,
Sorry to take exception to your charge. I worked for the SP at this time and was involved in the decision to take up the double track over the Sierras. The rail was moved down to the much faster growing Sunset route to facilitate the heavy growth in double stack traffic coming out of the Ports of LA and Long Beach. 1993 was over 14 years ago, and that capital was much more effectively deployed than it would have been staying on Donner during that time. The Ports of Oakland and San Francisco are not booming like other ports, so if the State does not view this as a worthy expenditure of their funds, I doubt UP will use their own funds to pay 100% of this project. I guess you would prefer to have California spend money for more lanes on the parallel interstate to compete with the UP, or let the traffic growth go to Mexico and Canada.
Jason Kuehn
Sorry to take exception to your charge. I worked for the SP at this time and was involved in the decision to take up the double track over the Sierras. The rail was moved down to the much faster growing Sunset route to facilitate the heavy growth in double stack traffic coming out of the Ports of LA and Long Beach. 1993 was over 14 years ago, and that capital was much more effectively deployed than it would have been staying on Donner during that time. The Ports of Oakland and San Francisco are not booming like other ports, so if the State does not view this as a worthy expenditure of their funds, I doubt UP will use their own funds to pay 100% of this project. I guess you would prefer to have California spend money for more lanes on the parallel interstate to compete with the UP, or let the traffic growth go to Mexico and Canada.
Jason Kuehn
