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Railroad Newsline for Thursday, January 18, 2007

Compiled by Larry W. Grant

In Memory of Rob Carlson, 1952 – 2006

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RAIL NEWS

CHEMICAL TRAIN DERAILS IN KENTUCKY; EVACUATIONS ARE ORDERED

Photo here:

[graphics10.nytimes.com]

Caption reads: The derailment of a train in Brooks, KY, Tuesday and subsequent fires in several tanker cars sent black smoke laced with chemicals billowing into the sky. Some schools in the area were closed as a precaution. Photo by Michael Clevenger/Courier-Journal via Associated Press.

Map here:

[graphics10.nytimes.com]

A CSX freight train carrying chemical cargo derailed and ignited south of Louisville, Kentucky, yesterday, forcing the evacuation of homes, shutting down roads and sending students home from school, Kentucky emergency officials said.

There were no reported injuries, the officials said.

More than a quarter of the cars on the 80-car train derailed in Brooks, KY, about 15 miles short of its Louisville destination, just before 09:00. Officials had not determined a cause of the accident.

Fire broke out in 14 cars, sending billowing plumes of smoke into the air. Officials closed about 20 miles of Interstate 65 and restricted airspace over the fire, said Yvette Smith, a spokeswoman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management.

The state ordered the evacuation of all homes within a one mile of the accident and asked all residents of Bullitt County to stay inside, shut their windows and take pets inside, Ms. Smith said.

The state fire marshal, Rodney Raby, said in a news conference televised nationally that there had been some anxious moments over the possibility of explosions, but that by midday, the incident was “winding down successfully.”

The fire was still burning last night, but officials said Interstate 65 had been reopened.
The chemical cyclohexane, which is a highly flammable chemical and an eye and skin irritant, may have fueled the fire, said Maj. Lisa Rudzinski of the state police.

At least one train car also contained the chemical butadiene, which is hazardous if inhaled, but it was not clear whether that car had ruptured, Major Rudzinski said.

A CSX spokesman, Gary Sease, said one train car contained ethyl methyl ketone, a flammable solvent, two others contained maleic anhydride, a corrosive material used to make resins, and two others carried alcohol. Mr. Sease said the railroad was obligated to carry hazardous substances for its customers.

“Knowing the sensitivity and safety concerns around hazardous materials, we work very hard to make sure that those hazardous materials are transported safely,” he said.

Fifteen members of the National Guard were dispatched to help in detecting chemicals and other hazardous materials, Major Rudzinski said.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending investigators, and its chairman, Mark V. Rosenker, to the scene.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sent an environmental health scientist to Brooks to assess public health risks, said an agency spokesman, John Florence.

Bullitt County school officials moved Brooks Elementary School to another school because of a concern that the fire might snarl bus routes, not because of danger to the children, said a school spokesman, John Roberts.

Jack Roberts, administrator of the private Micah Christian Academy, said that he could see smoke from the wreck site, which he estimated to be about two miles away, and that the smoke left an unpleasant burning sensation in the mouth. He closed the school as a precaution.

“They say that it’s not dangerous, other than maybe to folks who have breathing problems, but we’re close enough to where we feel like it’s necessary that we close,” Mr. Roberts said.

Next month, the Department of Homeland Security will hold public hearings on its proposal to require railroads to continuously track tanker cars carrying chemicals that are “toxic inhalation hazards,” and bar them from leaving the cars parked or unattended for long periods.

Coincidentally, the Federal Railroad Administration announced yesterday that it was cooperating with Dow Chemical Company, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Union Tank Car Company to develop a “next generation” rail tank car. The car would be designed to resist puncture in accidents or terrorist attacks.

Joseph H. Boardman, the agency administrator, said he hoped to issue a final rule for the cars early next year. Mr. Boardman would not say when current cars would be replaced, but he said cars used for the most hazardous materials would be replaced first. - Theo Emery and Matthew L. Wald, The New York Times, courtesy Dick and Julia Seelye

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BNSF AND THE CITY OF VICTORVILLE AGREE TO EXPLORE RAIL INTERMODAL PROJECT

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, the City of Victorville approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the BNSF Railway Company, setting the stage to explore development of a major intermodal logistics facility at Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA) in Victorville, California.

"I am pleased to announce the City of Victorville and BNSF are working together to bring intermodal rail service to SCLA," said Victorville Mayor Terry Caldwell. "This MOU with BNSF is a major milestone in our effort to convert an abandoned Air Force base into a vital, thriving industry."

"BNSF constantly reviews its need for capacity expansion across its network," says John Lanigan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "We signed a MOU with the City of Victorville to further explore the possibility of establishing intermodal operations in Victorville on the site of the Southern California Logistics Airport."

The intermodal facility will be a critical component in the development of the 3,500-acre Southern California Rail Complex at SCLA. According to city officials, the rail complex is a solution to the growing distribution needs and supply chain congestion of Southern California.

SCLA will improve the regional transportation system by offering rail, ground and airfreight distribution, reducing congestion at the ports and on Southern California’s freeway system.
The 3,500-acre complex near BNSF’s anticipated facility includes plans for 20 million square feet of manufacturing and distribution uses estimated to generate approximately 20,000 jobs.
This component will be developed by Stirling, a private sector partner and will be integrated with the anticipated facility.

Southern California Logistics Airport is jointly managed by the Southern California Logistics Airport Authority and Stirling, a Laguna Hills-based full-service airport development company specializing in master-planning and major land redevelopment. - BNSF Today

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BNSF BEGINS TRACK MAINTENANCE RENEWAL PROJECT BETWEEN BAKERSFIELD AND FRESNO

BNSF Railway Company announced Tuesday, Jan. 16, that it has launched a $17.5 million track maintenance project on its main line between Bakersfield and Fresno, California, that will help improve the reliability and ride quality of both passenger and freight trains using the route.

To minimize the impact on customers and communities, work that could have been spread across many months will be completed in a four-week period between Jan. 17 and Feb. 20 across the 105-mile subdivision. This is one of the larger maintenance projects that BNSF has undertaken in such a short time frame.

According to Don Dill, general director, Line Maintenance, "This concentrated track work program allows BNSF to perform a large number of track upgrades in a compressed time. The end result will be improved track reliability, improved ride quality for Amtrak passenger trains and improved track structure to support greater velocity for freight movements between Bakersfield and Fresno."

The Bakersfield track renewal project includes improvements to 15 at-grade rail crossings, the installation of 77,150 wood crossties; eight miles of new rail; 100 miles of track resurfacing, and undercutting work (for drainage improvement) on four miles of track.

To achieve the compressed time schedule, the project requires BNSF to bring in 350 additional employees from various parts of the railroad who will be assigned to specific track and rail renewal projects across the line. BNSF expects to spend more than $700,000 in lodging and food along the route during this project.

BNSF has worked closely with local communities to plan crossing closure schedules and identify alternate routes for traffic. - BNSF Today

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COAL TRAIN DERAILS IN DENVER

DENVER, CO -- A coal train derailed in Denver near I-70 and Washington. The scene of the wreck is one gigantic mess.

Pictures from SkyFox Wednesday showed at least 17 cars off the tracks, and several work crews off-loading coal from the cars, and scooping spilled coal from the ground. SkyFox Pilot Rob Marshall reported that the train had Burlington Northern markings on it.

A man who was working as part of the cleanup operations crews told Fox 31 News that they arrived on scene at about 11:00 Tuesday night. The BNSF Railway Company has not said exactly when the derailment happened.

The derailment did not disrupt automobile traffic, but drivers could see the crash from I-70. Rob Marshall reported that trains were able to move along the tracks in both directions at the site of the accident.

Rail cars were crumpled and twisted, and coal was spilled over a large area.

Watch the video to see some amazing pictures from SkyFox, and a description of the train wreck from pilot Rob Marshall:

[www.myfoxcolorado.com]

- KDVR-FOX31, Denver, CO

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RAIL TANK CARS WILL BE SAFER, STRONGER

The Federal Railroad Administration will create new design rules for rail tank cars by 2008 in order to keep chemicals from leaking during accidents, its top official said Tuesday.

The agency also is joining the industry in an effort to create stronger tank cars, Administrator Joseph H. Boardman announced.

The agency has become a partner in the Next Generation Rail Tank Car Project, created in 2006 by Union Pacific Railroad, Dow Chemical Co. and Union Tank Car Co.

"Our goal is to jump beyond incremental design changes," Boardman said.

The agency signed a memorandum of cooperation with the three companies that will allow the railroad administration and industry research programs to share information.

"We and our partners are looking to apply the latest research and advanced technology to provide increased safety for rail shipments posing the greatest safety risk," Boardman said.

Changes in tank cars are intended to reduce the chance that hazardous materials, such as toxic chemicals and high-risk gases and liquids, will be released in train accidents, such as a 2005 Norfolk Southern derailment in Graniteville, SC, in which chlorine gas was released and nine people died.

There was a more recent example of the problem Tuesday.

A CSX train that derailed Tuesday morning near Louisville, KY, and caught fire might have released hazardous materials. A highway was shut down and homes, businesses and a school were evacuated, according to Bloomberg News. Among the chemicals being transported were eye and skin irritants.

Rail is the safest shipping method, Jim Young, president and chief executive of the Omaha-based U.P., said during Tuesday's announcement.

"Rail transportation is the safest way to deliver the chemicals that are critical to our nation," he said. "As an industry, we have made remarkable progress to the point where 99.997 percent of 'hazmat' arrives safely by rail."

Officials for the three companies said they will implement new designs quickly, with an initial prototype expected in 2008.

Boardman said the railroad administration is focused on making tank cars stronger structurally, including studying the materials and thickness of the outer shell and the insulation between the outer shell and the inner tank.

The agency also is evaluating technology that could prevent tank cars from overturning during an accident. The technology includes pushback couplers, energy absorbers and anti-climbing devices.

A proposed rule on federal design standards could come as soon as this spring, with the final rule early next year, said agency spokesman Warren Flatau. - Stacie Hamel, The Omaha World Herald

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RAILROAD INDUSTRY'S FIRST EXHAUST CATALYST BEING TESTED IN LOS ANGELES

OMAHA, NE -- Union Pacific is beginning a year-long field test in the Los Angeles area of the rail industry’s first long-haul diesel electric locomotive modified with "after market" experimental technology aimed at reducing exhaust emissions.

"The testing and evaluation of this experimental exhaust technology emphasizes Union Pacific’s voluntary efforts to go beyond compliance in exploring new technologies that could reduce emissions," said Bob Grimaila, Union Pacific's vice president-environment and safety. "We have and will continue to work hard to build the most environmentally friendly locomotive fleet in North America and we are committed to protecting our environment by reducing emissions."

An experimental "oxidation catalyst" filtering canister, or "oxicat," was installed inside the diesel engine’s exhaust manifold. The special catalytic material chemically reduces the amount of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matter generated by the diesel engine, much like a catalytic converter on today’s cars and trucks.

UP photos here:

[www.uprr.com]

The diesel engine has been outfitted with various sensors that can be remotely monitored with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology. Remote "real-time" motoring capabilities help researchers evaluate how the experimental oxidation catalyst is functioning. Its emissions performance and the maintenance requirements for the locomotive will be assessed at the end of the one-year test period.

The National Vehicle Fuels and Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is funding most of the "oxidation catalyst" test.

The locomotive was subjected to EPA locomotive standards testing before and after the "oxidation catalyst" was installed, using standard EPA "locomotive certification" fuel and "ultra-low sulfur diesel" (ULSD) fuel that UP is now using for intrastate locomotives in California.

The standing, or static, test results were:

· Using ULSD fuel without the oxidation catalyst installed dropped particulate emissions by about 4 percent compared to the use of standard EPA diesel fuel.

· Using ULSD fuel with the oxidation catalyst installed reduced particulate emissions by approximately 50 percent, unburned hydrocarbons by 38 percent and carbon monoxide by 82 percent.

During this initial testing, the 17-year-old locomotive met the latest EPA "Tier 2" new locomotive requirements for particulate matter. The EPA’s Tier 2 requirements are for new locomotives manufactured since January 1, 2005.

Union Pacific has also begun a year-long field test in Oakland of the North America rail industry’s first experimental after-market exhaust system filter to determine if it will reduce diesel engine emissions in older locomotives used in rail yards.

Union Pacific’s "Green" Fleet

Currently, about 50 percent of Union Pacific’s more than 8,200-unit locomotive fleet is certified under existing EPA Tier 0, Tier 1 or Tier 2 regulations governing air emissions. That gives Union Pacific the most environmentally friendly locomotive fleet in the nation.

Union Pacific has tested, and is acquiring, two types of environmentally friendly low-horsepower rail yard locomotives:

· The Genset locomotive is powered by three 700-horsepower low-emissions EPA non-road Tier 3-certified diesel engines projected to reduce emissions of both nitrous oxides and particulate matter by up to 80 percent, while using as much as 16 percent less fuel compared to current low-horsepower locomotives.

· The Green Goat uses state-of-the-art diesel-battery hybrid-technology designed to cut air emissions by 80 percent and reduce diesel fuel use by 16 percent compared to conventional diesel-powered locomotives used in switching service. The hybrid switcher is powered with large banks of batteries. When energy stored in the batteries is depleted to a pre-set level, a small, low-emission diesel engine automatically starts to power a generator that recharges the batteries.

It is anticipated that these switching locomotives will receive California Air Resources Board (CARB) recognition as Ultra-Low Emitting Locomotives (ULEL), in addition to exceeding the EPA’s stringent Locomotive Tier 2 standards. These ULELs are a direct result of Union Pacific’s efforts to encourage development of ever-cleaner technology by its locomotive suppliers. The ultra-low emissions of these locomotives will help Union Pacific meet its commitment to CARB to reduce its fleet average nitrous oxide emissions inside the South Coast Nonattainment Area by 2010.

CARB Memorandum of Understanding

In addition to the emission reductions that the Tier 0, 1 and 2, Genset and Green Goat locomotives will achieve, a June 30, 2005, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among CARB, Union Pacific and BNSF Railway will further reduce diesel emissions in and around the state’s rail yards. The important agreement calls for reductions that will be greater and quicker than any that could have resulted from regulatory processes.

This was the second significant agreement of this type. The first one was signed in 1998 and covered nitrous oxide emissions (NOx) from locomotives. Under the first agreement, NOx levels from locomotives will be reduced by 67 percent in the South Coast Nonattainment Area. The June 2005 agreement represents the next logical step in the process and will reduce particulate matter emissions statewide.

CARB has estimated the MOU will reduce particulate emissions by approximately 20 percent at rail yards by June 2008 when all the program’s elements are phased in. Union Pacific expects to spend more than $20 million implementing the program. - Mark Davis, UP News Release

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DUEL OVER TRAIN SAFETY PLAYED OUT AT BORDER

WASHINGTON, DC -- A train-safety showdown is coming to the streets of Laredo, Texas.

Currently, employees of U.S. railroads inspect air brakes and other mechanisms in that border town after trains cross the border from Mexico. Federal agents examine their records and conduct spot checks.

But Union Pacific Railroad is asking federal regulators to allow the inspections to be made by Mexican employees of Kansas City Southern de Mexico railroad or its contractor in Nuevo Laredo, the much larger city just south of the Rio Grande.

Unionized railroad workers are fighting the proposal, warning that it would allow trains to run from within Mexico to San Antonio, Atlanta, New Orleans, St. Louis and hundreds of other communities without stopping for safety inspections.

"It's as if 9/11 never occurred and public safety and national security must take a back seat to increased profits and bigger executive bonuses," charged Paul Thompson, president of the United Transportation Union, which represents 125,000 railroad, bus and mass-transit workers.

Union Pacific officials counter that the U.S. Customs Service and Border Patrol would still inspect these incoming trains.

"It would not compromise security," said Joe Arbona, a spokesman for Union Pacific.

He said the proposal is not as much a matter of profits as a way to reduce the traffic congestion that its idling trains cause by blocking street intersections in Laredo.

The Federal Railroad Administration has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 7 in Laredo on the proposal for inspections in Nuevo Laredo.

Opponents warn that a drug war is being waged there, and the city of 581,000 residents is so lawless, there is no way to ensure that the inspections are being made to U.S. standards.

"Nuevo Laredo is a dangerous place," said Frank Wilner, a UTU spokesman. "Mexico is a country where, if you have money or political connections, you can make things happen. There is no telling what might come into the United States if we trust Mexicans to perform these inspections."

The FRA rejected a similar request from Union Pacific two years ago, saying the railroad had "failed to demonstrate that granting the petition would be consistent with safety at this time."

However, the agency also said it "found no merit in the suggestion of some commenters that approval of the waiver would compromise security."

Initially, at least, the waiver would apply to only one train per day, said Arbona. - Bob Dart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Denver Post

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TRAFFIC ON THE TRACKS: TRAINS IN TRACY COULD INCREASE

TRACY, CA -- A proposal to run trains through downtown Tracy, California could gain traction now that a San Joaquin County economic development group is pushing for a second rail line over the Altamont Pass.

The Altamont Commuter Express has long wanted a second track continuing over the pass from a line that dead ends west of Tracy. The San Joaquin Partnership, which works to attract business and industry to the county, expects that a second line could also accommodate freight trains between the Bay Area and San Joaquin County.

It would mean fewer trucks on freeways, proponents say, but it will also mean that freight trains that slow traffic will also be more prevalent in Tracy.

Mike Locke, president and CEO of the partnership, said manufacturers always ask about the best way to move large shipping containers in and out of the county.

“It’s become clearer and clearer that the I-580, I-680 and I-205 corridor is heavily congested with container movement, particularly coming up and over the Altamont Pass,” Locke said. “There’s also a growing concern that the long-term impact will be dramatic if we don’t find an alternative to this type of movement.”

Last month, Locke urged the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission to consider a long-term solution like a short-haul rail, which could share the new ACE line once it is established. He said it could increase transportation capacity and benefit commuters by taking truck traffic off the interstate system.

ACE now shares one track with Union Pacific’s freight trains. That line runs past the Tracy Defense Distribution Center and south of town along Linne Road.

Locke said the main railroads through the county, the BNSF Railway Company and the Union Pacific Railroad, specialize in long-haul trips and longer trains. The industrial growth envisioned by the partnership would use shorter trains. Those would bring overseas commodities to manufacturers in the Central Valley and bring agricultural products from the valley to the Port of Oakland for overseas shipment.

Locke added that nine manufacturers of auto parts, including one in Tracy, one in Lathrop, one in Manteca and six in Stockton, regularly ship to the New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. plant in Fremont. Shorter trains could also handle those companies’ growing need for just-in-time delivery, he said.

Stacey Mortensen, executive director of the rail commission, said she couldn’t predict how many trains would run through town on a daily basis, but they would be shorter than Union Pacific’s trains and probably more frequent.

The alternate line runs from Stockton to Fremont and would cost up to $300 million to rebuild. It goes through River Islands in Lathrop, Banta and downtown Tracy. The tracks run on a northeast to southwest diagonal across Tracy, under the 11th Street overpass and across some of Tracy’s major thoroughfares, including MacArthur Drive, Central Avenue, Tracy Boulevard, Schulte Road and Corral Hollow Road.

They continue along the industrial area just west of town on the south side of Schulte Road. The right-of-way still exists on a route over the Altamont Pass, but the tracks stop as they run parallel to Patterson Pass Road just west of Interstate 580.

Mortensen said Union Pacific owns the right-of-way and so far appears willing to negotiate for its sale.

Tracy Mayor Brent Ives, who also serves as chairman of the rail commission, said this is a regular topic at the commission’s monthly meetings. The rail commission has hired a consultant to study the details, and Ives said the concept of an alternate line exists only as a proposal in the commission’s strategic plan.

“ACE’s first and primary concern in purchasing rail lines is to run a commuter rail system,” he said. “That doesn’t preclude us from pursuing compatible rail service.”

“We’re so far away from anything concrete at this point,” he said, adding that the cost and feasibility of buying rail lines and rights-of-way are still being studied.

“Right now, we’re just looking at potential options. We’re not letting costs get in the way at this point.” - Bob Brownne, The Tracy Press

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DOUBLE DERAILMENTS IN MINNESOTA

LYON COUNTY, MN -- Two minor train derailments happened in Lyon County within one day Tuesday.

Six grain cars derailed near Florence at about midnight Tuesday, a Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad official on the site said Tuesday afternoon.

The cars were still being placed back on the track Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened at a two-track section used by DM&E and the BNSF Railway Company between Russell and Florence.

The Balaton Fire Department was paged out to the site at 00:56 Tuesday, fire chief Greg Erickson said. The six cars were upright and the corn was still in them when the department arrived, Erickson said.

The grain cars are owned by BNSF, but the DM&E official said it was uncertain which of the two railroads was handling the cars.

Telephone messages left by the Independent on Tuesday with at least two DM&E officials at the South Dakota office were not returned.

A second derailment of one grain car happened on the BNSF line a mile-and-a half south of Cottonwood on Tuesday afternoon.

One end of an empty train car derailed, said Steve Forsberg, BNSF general director of public affairs.

The rearmost few cars on the train were uncoupled, while the rest of the train pulled forward to clear a crossing near the Barstad Road overpass, Forsberg said.

BNSF is investigating the possibility of a broken coupler in the accident, Forsberg said. - The Marshall Independent

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DARING THEFT TURNS ENGINE INTO RUNAWAYS' TRAIN

Photo here:

[www.dispatch.com]

Caption reads: Earl Defibaugh, a retired Conrail engineer, inspects a Hocking Valley Scenic Railway locomotive for damage in Nelsonville. Two boys, both on the run from a nearby juvenile center, took the engine for a 12-mile-long joy ride before surrendering near Logan.

Map here:

[ee.dispatch.com]

NELSONVILLE, OH -- It was 01:15, and the Great Train Robbery was under way.

In his home near the tracks in Nelsonville, Bill Evans, awakened by two blasts from the engine’s air horn, bolted out of bed.

The president and conductor of the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway knew one of his engines should not be running the tracks at that hour.

Two runaway boys with an apparent taste for super-size joy rides were at the controls of the dark blue, 125-ton locomotive with yellow stripes. They were headed for Logan.

With a 16-year-old pushing all the right buttons and levers, and his 13-year-old accomplice riding shotgun, the engine rumbled up the line.

Hocking County Sheriff’s Sgt. Eric Matheny waited at a crossing and flicked on his cruiser’s spotlight. He saw someone in the cab as the engine went past at 25 to 30 mph.

The chase was on, with Matheny attempting to keep the locomotive in sight from side roads near the tracks as the engine passed through five crossings.

Finally, 12 miles outside of Nelsonville, the one-time Chesapeake & Ohio engine pulled to a stop. The boys, with hands in the air, surrendered to Matheny near Rts. 33 and 328 at the edge of Logan.

Had they ventured into the Logan rail yards, their ride would have hit a device that was placed on the tracks to derail the engine and head off a collision with another train. An Indiana & Ohio train was due to arrive at 03:00.

The boys’ excursion early yesterday astonished Evans, an old railroad man, as well as Athens County Prosecutor C. David Warren.

"It’s unbelievable," Evans said. "They had to know what they were doing."

The 16-year-old, Eric Burks, told authorities that he comes from a family of railroaders and had worked with relatives in the rail yards in Lawrence County.

Burks and 13-year-old Zachary Walden were charged with running away from the Hocking Valley Community Residential Center in Nelsonville about 20:30 Monday.

The boys slipped out of the unsecured center for nonviolent delinquents while employees were preoccupied with looking for two other youths who ran away about a half-hour earlier.

They apparently hid for a few hours and then headed for the locomotive house of the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, which offers pleasure and sightseeing rides.

Patrolman John Meeks, of the Nelsonville Police Department, said the boys used a pipe to pry open a door, opened an overhead door and fired up the 1950s-vintage diesel engine.

They tried to head toward Athens, but the tracks dead-end nearby. They backed up, only to find the tracks to Logan blocked at the depot by passenger cars and a caboose.

The boys coupled the cars to the engine and, breaking locks off rail switches, maneuvered the cars onto a side rail and then headed out.

Prosecutor Warren could not believe what he was hearing when police called him at 04:00. "They had to run it by me a couple of times before I caught on.

"This is a new one on me. I’ve been doing this for 30 years and never had anyone steal a train."

Burks and Walden appeared in Athens County Juvenile Court yesterday. A judge ordered them returned to the custody of their home counties of Lawrence and Scioto, respectively.

Each is charged with delinquency counts of grand theft (the locomotive is valued at $198,000), breaking and entering and escape. The locomotive suffered only scratched paint.

Evans saw some irony in the incident.

The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway offers tourists the opportunity to ride on "Great Train Robbery" trips, during which armed desperadoes on horseback pursue the train and board it after it stops.

The bandits relieve passengers of fake money they have been handed before making their escape.
"But I never thought we would have a real robbery," Evans said. - Randy Ludlow, The Columbus Dispatch

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CSX TRANSPORTATION POLICE ARREST FOUR IN SCRAP METALS STING OPERATIONS

TOLEDO, OH -- The owner of a North Toledo scrap yard, his son, and two workers were arrested yesterday during the first of an expected series of sting operations by police, who hope to put a dent in the hot industry of stealing metal for scrap.

"People can't do this without impunity anymore," Toledo police Sgt. James Brown said.

Toledo police and CSX Transportation police conducted the sting at Lagrange Metals on Utica Street near Lagrange Street just after 10:00. An undercover officer offered to sell 600 pounds of copper wire stolen from the railroad and later recovered.

Waleed Kada, the scrap yard owner's son, bought the copper even after railroad police previously talked with the business, showed it a picture of the wire, told it not to buy the wire, and to call police if it was seen, Toledo police Sgt. Joe Heffernan said.

Authorities with both agencies then searched the business and found other stolen items, including manhole covers and dozens of shopping carts.

Keith Williams, manager of the Kroger on Manhattan Boulevard, came to the yard and retrieved several carts he believes were stolen from his store. He said more than 100 carts have been taken the last several years, and he has had to ask other stores for carts.

Scrap yard owner Khalid Kada, 48, of Waterford, Michigan, was arrested for receiving stolen property a short time after he arrived at his business via a bus. He was charged with receiving stolen property in connection with the shopping carts, Sergeant Heffernan said.

His 22-year-old son was charged with the same offense after he bought the wire. The other two workers were arrested on unrelated felony warrants, for not paying child support and drug trafficking.

Randy Saint John, of CSX police, said theft of copper wire -- which runs the signal system and power switches -- has been a big problem for the railroad since the price of scrap metal went up. When the wire is stolen, he said, trains are delayed.

Nearly every day, police take a report of metal snatched from locations ranging from homes to Toledo Public School building construction sites.

On Monday, HPH Mechanical reported $1,800 worth of copper tubing taken from a school construction site on Nebraska Avenue.

The same day, Northwest Ohio Building Trades reported to police that 200 metal political signs worth $10,000 were taken from its Front Street site. - Christina Hall, The Toledo Blade

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SENATORS TRY AGAIN TO FUND AND REFORM AMTRAK

WASHINGTON, DC -- Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) introduced legislation yesterday that would authorize $3.2 billion a year for Amtrak over six years in exchange for greater efficiency and increased investments by states.

Supporters said the plan would place Amtrak on a firm financial footing after years of instability. A similar bill was passed by the Senate in November, 93 to 6, but was not taken up by the House of Representatives. Lautenberg said prospects were much improved with Democrats now in control of both houses of Congress. "It's not going to be that difficult this year," Lautenberg said yesterday at a news conference at Union Station, where he was joined by Lott and Alexander K. Kummant, Amtrak's chief executive.

Amtrak, the main operator of passenger trains in the country, has been beset with money-losing routes, hobbled by technical troubles, criticized for mismanagement and crippled by a lack of capital investment. Conservatives especially have questioned whether large operating subsidies for Amtrak are a wise investment. Amtrak received $1.3 billion in federal funding last fiscal year.

Jim Berard, spokesman for U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, agreed that Democratic control of the House will help place Amtrak funding on an express track this year. "Given the change in management and the new management's more favorable view of Amtrak, we expect it to get through the committee and to the floor," Berard said.

Lautenberg and Lott said that having a viable passenger rail option is vital to the nation's economy and environment. "We cannot depend entirely on airplanes and roads," Lautenberg said.

In addition to all the carrots, the bill offers several sticks, such as expecting Amtrak to reduce operating costs by 40 percent over six years.

"This is about reform and accountability," Lott said. "It's not just a big chunk of money." Kummant declined to specify how he would reduce operating costs, but he said that encouraging passenger growth is just as important as cutting services to achieve efficiencies.

The bill would authorize $1.7 billion in debt repayment, $7.8 billion in new bonding authority and $300 million a year in grants that would have to be matched by states. Lautenberg and Lott said that local matching grants would encourage overall investment in the system as well as states' sharing in the cost of providing services to less popular destinations, which generally require the largest subsidies. Kummant said the bill fits his vision of the rail network of the future, which would be a series of state rail networks threaded into national corridors. Hurdles remain, such as the House's new pay-as-you-go budget rules and the Bush administration's skepticism on Amtrak funding.

Lautenberg was asked how he would find the money to pay for the bill. "The same way we find money to pay for other things,'' he said. - Eric M. Weiss, The Washington Post, courtesy Marc Pearsall

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ENGINEERS ON CN'S FORMER GTW TERRITORY RENEW HOURLY-RATE LABOR CONTRACT

CHICAGO, IL -- The Canadian National Railway announced Tuesday the renewal of an hourly-rate labor contract by approximately 240 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Union (BLE&T) who work on the company's former Grand Trunk Western (GTW) territory.

Ratification of the five-year labor contract was 91 per cent. This new contract is retroactive to Aug. 1, 2005, and includes wage increases for BLE&T members.

In contrast with traditional mileage-and rule-based wage systems for engine crews dating back to the steam locomotive era, GTW BLE&T members are paid hourly wages and enjoy job security in exchange for greater work rule flexibility for the company. Most of CN's train and engine employees in the United States are covered by hourly-rate labor agreements.

The GTW's main line between Chicago and Port Huron, Michigan, is a key link in CN's rail corridor between the U.S. Midwest, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritime provinces. - Mark Hallman, CN News Release

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TRANSIT NEWS

RTD TO PAY UNION PACIFIC TO MOVE RAIL FOR FASTRACKS

DENVER, CO -- In a move that advances prospects for train service to Denver International Airport and other FasTracks projects, the Regional Transportation District plans to pay up to $40 million for the Union Pacific Railroad to relocate key freight rail facilities and track. RTD directors will vote on the spending request Tuesday.

RTD plans to build the east-corridor train from Union Station to DIA and the north metro rail line to north Adams County as part of the $4.7 billion FasTracks program.

To construct the rail lines and build a commuter rail maintenance center, RTD needs to acquire two major Union Pacific facilities in Denver near the junction of Brighton Boulevard and East 40th Avenue.

RTD will pay about $10 million for UP to design and engineer the relocation of the rail yards and track, and another $30 million for the railroad to acquire property for its relocated facilities, said Liz Rao, RTD's planning chief.

UP spokeswoman Kathryn Blackwell called the agreement an important step forward in long and complex negotiations over RTD's request to operate commuter trains in UP's freight corridors.
The parties still must negotiate the final cost of RTD acquiring access to UP's corridors. - Jeffrey Lieb, The Denver Post

STREETCAR DESIRES: TACOMA ISN'T THE ONLY CITY GIVING HERITAGE TRANSPORTATION A NEW LOOK

TACOMA, WA -- In the late-1990s, when the Issaquah Historical Society was looking for new ways to tell the city’s story, it took to the rails. Issaquah’s roots were tied to rail service: the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway built its track for freight and passenger operations in the area, which was then called Gilman (located just 20 miles east of Seattle). A depot, which was built in 1889 and shuttered in 1958, 30 years after passenger service ceased, had been restored in 1994 -- a decade after community interest in restoring a trolley line was sparked.

“We did not want to be a streetcar museum,” explains Craig Thorpe, the historical society’s communications director. “The mission of the historical society is to interpret the history of Issaquah. But since rail was an important part of that history, we saw merit in streetcar transportation.”

In 2000, the society created an advisory committee to explore using a one-mile track to provide trolley service to residents and tourists. An anonymous donor provided $100,000, which was used to conduct a feasibility study, write a business plan, and eventually lease and ship a streetcar from the City of Yakima. That streetcar arrived in spring 2001, and went into operation from May 2001 through May 2002 (save for January and February). Six-thousand passengers rode the old streetcar, which clanged and lumbered through the center of town four hours per day on weekends.

Photo here:

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Caption reads: In 2000, the Issaquah Historical Society created an advisory committee to explore the idea of using a one-mile track to provide trolley service to residents and tourists. An anonymous donor provided $100,000, which was used to conduct a feasibility study, write a business plan, and eventually lease and ship a streetcar from the City of Yakima. That streetcar arrived in spring 2001, and went into operation from May 2001 through May 2002 (save for January and February). Six-thousand passengers rode the old street car four hours per day on weekends. Today, the city's restored Depot Park is home to a streetcar museum downtown. Photo by Todd Matthews.

“It was a great success,” recalls Thorpe. The trolley, which carried 30 people twice an hour on the north-south, one-mile track, transported riders between the visitors center at Gilman Village, past the Darigold plant, and across Front Street to the restored historic depot near the civic center. “It was very well received by the public. Not only did people ride the line up and back. But every time we ran, we had people who would get on at one end, get off at the other to go shopping or get an ice cream, then get back on the trolley later. It let us know that people wanted that kind of option.”

Whether heritage style, such as the one operated in Issaquah and a handful of other Pacific Northwest cities, or sophisticated and modern, such as the system under construction in South Lake Union, or Link Light Rail operating in downtown Tacoma, streetcars are increasingly becoming a vital transportation option in dozens of American cities, including Dallas, Tampa, Little Rock, Yakima, and Portland.

In Tacoma currently, an advisory committee of residents, transit planners, and City Hall staff conducts a series of monthly meetings to study the feasibility of building a streetcar system.

The committee examined the idea Dec. 18, when it held the first in a series of feasibility meetings (the group will meet again Jan. 22). “We’re going to try and look at this with broad brush strokes and determine whether it’s truly feasible to do this,” said Steve Shanafelt, Tacoma Public Works engineering division manager who is heading up the committee, during the group’s meeting last month. “It’s our job to give City Council as many informed options as possible.”

The advisory committee was formed at the direction of Tacoma City Council. On June 27, the Council unanimously passed a resolution directing city staff to work with Pierce Transit, Sound Transit, neighborhood councils, business districts, and residents to study the idea, which would connect business districts and transport passengers throughout the city. City support for the streetcar has grown over the past year. Last year, on April 12, the city’s environment and public works committee unanimously approved a do-pass recommendation that led to City Council’s decision in June.

Support also comes from several areas: a grassroots group, Tacoma Streetcar, that has pushed for a Tacoma streetcar for a couple years; the success of Sound Transit Link Light Rail -- a 1.6 mile line riders can travel for free between the Dome District, University of Washington Tacoma, and the Theater District (according to Sound Transit, the line has been very successful: ridership reached one million in December 2004, a little over a year after Link started to operate); and proponets who argue streetcars reduce traffic and auto emissions, increase participation in public transit, encourage economic revitalization, boost tourism, and provide a sense of historic character to cities.

Still, the biggest hurdle is cost. According to information compiled by Tacoma’s advisory committee, streetcar lines in other cities have ranged between $22.2 million per mile (Atlanta) to $46 million per mile (Denver). In Tacoma, some estimates have placed a small streetcar line at $15 million per mile -- though the exact cost is something that advisory committee will likely determine before it presents its findings this spring.

Will Tacoma build a streetcar system? That’s a question the advisory committee is trying to determine. But looking at how other cities have built streetcar systems, and the city’s historical connection to streetcars, provides perspectives on whether Tacoma could welcome this old mode of transportation.

Streetcars aren’t new to Tacoma.

According to History Link, an online encyclopedia of Pacific Northwest history, streetcar roots date as far back as 1885, when businessman Allen C. Mason made a request to City Council for 30-year franchise to build a streetcar system. That request was denied. But in 1887, railroad contractor Nelson Bennett made a similar request, lobbying for a 50-year franchise. Permission was granted, and the City of Tacoma built the tracks. Bennett’s steam locomotives were franchised out to real estate promoters who wanted to serve new housing developments in the city’s south and west ends, according to History Link. Bennett eventually sold his company, which was renamed Tacoma Railway & Motor Company. Steam locomotives were upgraded to electric power, and the first electric streetcar ran on Feb. 10, 1890.

Tacoma’s streetcar had a storied existence.

On July 4, 1900, 43 passengers died when a streetcar was overloaded with people headed downtown for the Independence Day parade. The streetcar jumped the tracks on the C Street trestle and fell 100 feet into a ravine.

On Sept. 25, 1902, streetcar service between Seattle and downtown Tacoma kicked off under the so-called Interurban Railway. Wooden cars departed downtown Tacoma once every four hours, and the commute between Seattle and Tacoma lasted 100 minutes. The line existed until Dec. 30, 1928.

And on Jan. 2, 1919, streetcar service branched out to the Tacoma tideflats, transporting workers from downtown to Port-related jobs. At the same time, the city’s public works department took ownership of Tacoma Railway & Power Co., which was having a difficult time seeing a profit in passenger operations.

Today, the streetcar’s footprint is hard to find if you don’t know where to look, says Morgan Alexander, head of Tacoma Streetcar. Evidence exists in a dilapidated brick trolley barn at 83rd and South Yakima in Fern Hill . . . another trolley barn near 12th and Proctor . . . a six-foot section of rail near Le-Le’s Vietnamese restaurant in the Hilltop neighborhood, at North 10th and MLK . . . the tea house and pagoda at Point Defiance Park . . . and a former depot (now two-story apartment building) near North 11th and K Street.

But the best evidence is in the city’s neighborhoods, along main arterials. “By nature, they follow old streetcar lines and routes,” says Alexander. “And you can see older buildings from the turn of the century to the 1920s -- smaller, two-story brick buildings -- that were originally at trolley stops and along trolley routes.

“Unfortunately, there’s not too much evidence,” adds Alexander. “They were really thorough in pulling up all the rails.”

It’s a similar story in other cities across America. As the automobile gained popularity in the mid-Twentieth Century, streetcars died.

So why consider streetcars today?

“Streetcars are ‘placemakers,’” says Thorpe. “They draw people. They help establish a sense of community and a sense of place and public pride. People like them. This is being demonstrated all over the country. There are well over 70 cities around the U.S. that are involved in streetcar projects, whether they are little ones like ours or more extensive systems.”

“Municipalities have found vintage/heritage trolley operations to be attractive for the same reason that streetcar operations are,” says Richard Thompson, author of Portland’s Streetcars (Arcadia, 2006). He also coordinates trains and conductors for Vintage Trolley, a heritage streetcar system in Portland. “They are less expensive than light rail lines, but provide the same benefits. Their fixed tracks are a magnet for investment along the lines, just as they were in the Nineteenth Century. Building a vintage trolley operation, which involves restoring old streetcars or building replicas, as Portland did, also generates positive public relations in neighborhoods served in the same way that cable cars do in San Francisco. It attracts tourists and local families, particularly on weekends.”

In cities with modern and heritage streetcars, says Thompson, riders will wait in line to ride older trolleys. “Their reasoning is that the trolleys are not just transportation, but they are fun to ride,” he adds.

There’s also some evidence streetcars spur economic development.

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, which started operating a two-mile line in 2000, the return on investment is substantial. According to a study conducted by Reconnecting America, a national non-profit organization formed to link transportation networks and the communities they serve, the system, which cost $6 million, has seen $150 million in planned and existing development directly related to the line (67,500 people rode the streetcar in 2005). In Little Rock, Arkansas, a 2.5-mile, $19.6 million line has seen $200 million in development investment (ridership totaled 190,000 in 2005). And in Tampa, Florida, a $48.3 million, 2.3-mile line has seen $1 billion in investment tied to its 2003 operation (ridership totaled 435,000 in 2005).

In Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, where the historic George Benson Waterfront Streetcar operated until November 2005 when a waterfront trolley barn was removed to make way for the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park, some Pioneer Square business owners complained recently that tourist traffic has dropped by 30 percent to 40 percent since the trolley discontinued service (the city hopes to build a new barn and restore service by 2009).

The resurgence has also hatched cottage industries focused on manufacturing and restoring old streetcars. Gomaco Trolley Company, a streetcar manufacturer in Ida Grove, Iowa, has supplied streetcars to Tampa, Fresno, Denver, Little Rock, St. Louis, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Locally, Historic Railway in Arlington has restored streetcars for Detroit, Whitehorse, B.C., and a handful of private investors.

What would a streetcar in Tacoma look like?

One model exists east of the Cascade Mountains, in Yakima. Similar to Tacoma, Yakima also has a rich streetcar history. Streetcar service started in 1907, and operated 40 years. Whereas Tacoma ripped up most of its tracks, however, Yakima was fortunate to preserve its rail lines, which were built between 1907 and 1913 by the now-defunct Yakima Valley Transportation Company.

Between 1974 and 1985, Yakima Valley Trolley (YVT) operated streetcars along Union Pacific lines as long as they didn’t interfere with freight operations. “The reason it persisted all these years was there was a freight component,” explains Paul Edmondson, an attorney and YVT volunteer. “Freight cars hauled apples from the orchards. That kept the system operational until Union Pacific threw in the towel in 1985. Trolleys got lost in the shuffle. But back in 1974, we brought them back.”

According to Edmondson, the railroad company donated its lines and rolling stock to the City of Yakima, which then looked to YVT to operate streetcars on the lines. Today, the organization owns four streetcars and operates three lines, including one that stretches six miles to Selah (a so-called “Apple Valley Interurban”). It uses a 96-year-old restored stone and timber car barn and shop to service the streetcars, and a substation equally as old to pick up and drop off passengers (both are part of the Yakima Electric Railway Museum). The group will celebrate the trolley’s centennial with a series of fundraisers and ceremonies throughout the year.

“In many cases the rails are better than the street around them,” says Edmondson. “They last forever.”

Yakima is a practical model for Tacoma. The trains operate seasonally on summer weekends; volunteers operate and maintain the streetcars; funding comes from donations and fares; and the trolleys don’t pretend to replace buses or automobiles, or substitute other modes of mass transportation.

Still, they aren’t entirely ceremonial. Edmondson says the trolleys bring a measure of economic benefit to the city. Streetcar fans recognize YVT’s Yakima-to-Selah line as the last surviving interurban. “We do have that distinction,” he explains. “People like to come and look at our operation. We actually get a wide geographic spread, too. We’re well known in trolley circles around the world.”

Similarly, developers who want to build a shopping center in Yakima have discussed the idea of connecting it to downtown via the streetcar. “They want us to put in a spur there,” Edmondson explains. “If that happens, and we get the spur reopened to downtown Yakima, we would have a direct connection.”

What advice does Edmondson have for Tacomans studying a streetcar plan?

“Location of the tracks is 99 percent of it,” he says. “You want to have a line that people use, and that’s typically in the downtown area. Also, when you are talking streetcars, because of the wooden seats, people don’t want a long ride. They want a few blocks. The best route is usually up to a mile or so. Most of the systems around the country are typically a mile-and-a-half.

We’re unusual because we are interurban. But most systems are much shorter.”

YAKIMA IS ALSO a model for Tacoma because of its partnership between a historical society and city government allows the streetcars to run. Without a core of volunteers, the streetcars couldn’t operate and wouldn’t be maintained. And without the muscle of large government, funding opportunities might not exist. It’s a similar model in other U.S. cities. Last year, the City of Yakima paid to rebuild Yakima Avenue. It also secured a grant to replace the roof on YVT’s car barn.

“The city handles the major stuff, and they expect us to handle minor maintenance,” says Edmondson.

Still, funding is a major hurdle for streetcar operators.

“With our government grants depleted, Vintage Trolley is now operating less frequently,” says Richard Thompason of Portland-based Vintage Trolley. He cautions Tacomans to keep in mind that streetcars require an ongoing source of funding.

Though heritage streetcar systems are less expensive than contemporary light rail, they still come with daunting price tags for non-profit historical societies that want to get into the streetcar business. A new, replica-style streetcar can cost between $300,000 and $500,000.

But deals are out there.

Yakima Valley Trolley purchased two streetcars from Portugal in 1974 for $8,000 apiece (today, they would cost approximately $100,000). The group leased two other streetcars from a private collector for one-dollar per year, until the collector died and the organization bought the trolleys for $50,000.

In Issaquah, similar funding challenges exist.

“For a little operation like ours, we were able to clear enough money from fare box to cover minimal costs,” says Thorpe. “You can’t cover operations and maintenance on the fare box alone. It won’t happen.”

Still, the society has secured key donations and grants that allowed it to purchase and begin to restore two streetcars from Aspen, Colorado, and another from San Francisco: $40,000 from Microsoft community affairs; $171,000 in federal transportation funds; and a $2,300 environmental grant from Friends of the Earth. The society hopes to restore one of the streetcars in time to operate it this summer.

Tacoma Streetcar’s Alexander is familiar with funding hurdles.

“There are two different things we need to think about,” he says. “The initial capital cost of getting the thing built, and the operational costs. I’m still not fully decided on the operational costs. I guess it depends on what the system looks like, and if it’s a part-time system. I understand the challenges of that.”

Still, says Alexander, there are creative ways to fund a streetcar: a volunteer-run system with deep community roots; the possibility of a new federal grant for small transportation projects like streetcars; sponsorship of things such as individual seats to an entire streetcar (a pink and gold Almond Roca streetcar, anyone?).

“I think there are a lot of creative ways to help fund it,” he adds.

Still, fundraising hurdles drawbacks haven’t blocked other cities from building and operating heritage streetcars.

“There’s been a renaissance for streetcars in last 20 years,” says Edmondson. “People like them. They’re kind of like wooden boats. There’s no center for plastic boats. I think there’s something about the wood. People identify with them. They are fun. People just enjoy riding them. And even if they don’t ride them, they like to see them going down the street.” - Todd Matthews, Editor, The Tacoma Daily Index

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OTHER FORMS OF TRANSIT NEEDED HERE

CLARK COUNTY, WA -- On the north side of the Columbia River, it would seem few people believe there is any other form of transportation than four wheels with an engine and control mechanisms.

America's love affair with the automobile has become a grotesque romance in Clark County.

Cars are everywhere, crowding and crashing into each other on jammed roads at rush hour day and night, and smothering travel lanes on two Columbia River bridges. Like swarms of homing pigeons, some 60,000 commuters cross to Portland daily, and try to return at night.

Mention light rail, a system that would take many single-occupancy vehicles off the road, and some go ballistic. The lame protest, "We defeated light rail in 1995 by public vote," strongly implies it should never again be considered.

Near the south Columbia shoreline, Portland, a near and dear neighbor, has found many modes of mass transportation -- light rail, streetcar, trolley and bus -- and its lifestyle is better for it.

Displaying its flexibility, the Rose City has added a new mode -- the Portland Aerial Tram.

Riding the tram from the South Waterfront at the new OHSU Center for Health and Healing building to Oregon Health & Science University's main campus on Marquam Hill could be the glide to health or heaven. It's that smooth. The tram covers 3300 feet in little more than three minutes, rising to 500 feet and offering spectacular views north, south and east. It will become a tourist's delight.

Each of the two tram cars -- one going up as the other comes down the hill -- can hold 78 people.

The $57 million system will be available to the general public after grand-opening activities on Jan. 27 and 28.

Harry Lenhart, senior communications coordinator for OHSU, estimates 10,000 people have signed up for tram rides during two grand-opening days, and no more slots are available. After the general opening, the public can ride for an expected $4 round trip.

Talk about "green" planning: Motion of the tram generates enough electricity and heat to run it, according to OSHU sources.

Over each year's operation, the tram should eliminate about two million vehicle miles, save 93,000 gallons of gasoline and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1,000 tons.

The Portland streetcar is a connecting link for Tri-Met bus lines, the new OHSU Center for Health and Healing, and the tram station.

What's more, the tram has allowed OHSU, with a jam-packed campus, to expand down the hill, near the Willamette River. It also sparked investments of millions of dollars in high-rise condominiums and other amenities in the South Waterfront district.

Yes, there was a cost issue, from an early estimate of $15 million to $57 million. OHSU is paying 70 percent, with the remainder being raised between South Waterfront property taxes and South Waterfront property owners' fees.

On this side of the river

There are similar opportunities for Vancouver and Clark County.

The first is a creative mix of development and transportation, serving proposed waterfront developments in Vancouver, Camas and elsewhere. Jim Brown, Vancouver fire chief between 1975 and 1977, suggested a trolley or streetcar line along the waterfront many years ago. The second is strong consideration of a light-rail extension into Vancouver along the Interstate 5 freeway from the Expo Center two miles south. Light rail and bus rapid transit systems are being studied for the new Columbia River bridge. With the aid of federal funding, the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council is looking at mass transportation systems and routes through Clark County.

The time for blathering and blustering about light rail is past. It must receive endorsement as a 21st century form of high-capacity transportation. Electricity will be with us as long as the Columbia River flows to the sea. Electric-powered buses, but not fossil-fueled ones, could be a mass transit competitor.

Some means must be found to lure automobile drivers -- especially the single-occupancy kind -- to mass transit.

Hordes of cars, like locusts, will pester us, but their numbers can be lessened. - Opinion, Tom Koenninger, Editor Emeritus, The Columbian

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